


They're Just Friends...Right?

by Whats__her__name



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Behind the Scenes, Bisexual Female Character, Canon Compliant, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, i love these two dorks, wholesome fluff but also potential smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:40:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25900741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whats__her__name/pseuds/Whats__her__name
Summary: Korra and Asami's relationship came out of nowhere for many people, but the two had always had a spark between them since the moment they met. This is yet another series exploring the off-screen moments from Book 1-4 that led to their friendship and eventually romance.
Relationships: Bolin/Opal (Avatar), Jinora/Kai (Avatar), Korra/Asami Sato, Korra/Mako (Avatar), Mako/Asami Sato
Comments: 58
Kudos: 265





	1. Stay With Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hi fellow shippers and fans! In honor of LOK coming to Netflix today, I thought it'd be a good time to post the first chapter to my newest fanfic. I recently rewatched LOK for the first time and fell in love with the Korrasami ship. Of course, I wished there were more Korrasami moments on screen, but alas, I'm putting my ideas for them here instead. I hope this keeps you #satosfied in #korrantine.

Ever since she was little, Korra had dreamed about Republic City. It was the city that symbolized the new world order, a place where people of all nations could live in harmony. While isolated in her icy compound in the South Pole, she had spent countless nights fantasizing about life in the capital. Her first day in the city left her dazzled, albeit a bit shaken from her surprise run-in with the law. That night, Tenzin told her that she would need time to adjust to her new environment and to expect the unexpected. 

And was there a lot she didn’t expect.

She never expected to join a pro-bending team.

She never expected to fall head over heels for the brooding team captain—who was already dating Republic City’s top heiress.

She never expected to become the target of an anti-bending revolution.

And she never expected to expose Hiroshi Sato, the father of the city’s industrial revolution and her new friend.

Korra felt a pang in her chest at the last thought. 

It was a little past midnight. From the corridor window, she watched the moonlight shimmer off Yue Bay, dancing with the ebb and the flow of the waves. Whenever she felt homesick or low-spirited, she would find solace in this familiar sight. Unfortunately, it wasn’t working tonight. As beautiful as the waxing moon was, it couldn’t take back the events that had transpired the day before. It couldn’t make Hiroshi abandon his Equalist ties, and it couldn’t heal the unimaginable pain Asami was currently in.

Korra would’ve been lying if she said she hadn’t been shocked by Asami’s decision. The ten seconds it took for Asami to strap on her father’s electrified glove had been the longest of her life. For a moment, Korra genuinely believed Asami would betray them—which only made her feel worse once everything was said and done. 

“Nice going. Thinking she was prissy was one thing. Thinking she was the enemy...You’re a terrible Avatar,” Korra scolded herself.

Ever since Team Avatar arrived on Air Temple Island that morning, Korra hadn’t been able to tear her eyes away from Asami. She observed the girl keenly, this time, without the jealousy and pettiness. What caught her attention the most was that Asami hadn’t cried once. It wasn’t hard to figure out, thanks to her affinity for makeup. Even when she buried herself in Mako’s arms on the airship, she held it in. She had barely had a moment alone in the past twenty-four hours, but she never cracked once.

That was something Korra supposed she could relate to. For days on end, she teetered on the edge of a nervous breakdown while masking her fear with false bravado. It took a near-death encounter with Amon for her to come clean with herself. Luckily, in her moment of need, she was able to confide in Tenzin, who was becoming more of a father-figure than a teacher. 

_Maybe I should talk to Asami about her dad_ , Korra thought. 

But what reason would Asami have to talk to Korra? Thanks to Ikki, Asami was now aware of her crush on Mako. If Asami wanted to talk to anyone, wouldn’t she choose her boyfriend over Korra? After all, until yesterday’s spin around the racetrack, Korra had barely acknowledged her presence, and less than an hour later, she turned Asami’s world upside down.

“Maybe I should just stay out of this one,” Korra sighed.

Korra took one last glance at the scenery outside and began to head back to her room, hoping she would be able to catch a few hours of sleep tonight. She shuffled down the dark hallway, bending a small flame in her palm to illuminate the path. However, just as she passed Asami’s room, she heard the older girl scream at the top of her lungs.

_“Help me!”_

The cry sent chills up Korra’s spine. Instinctively, she lit two fire blades in her hands, turned to face the door, and dropped into a fighting stance. “Hang on, Asami!” Korra yelled as she kicked the door open.

* * *

_“Dad, stop!” Asami pleaded, “Why?”_

_The shock on Hiroshi’s face faded to shame upon seeing his crestfallen daughter._

_“Sweetie, I wanted to keep you out of this as long as I could. But now you know the truth, please, forgive me,” Hiroshi begged._

_The blood drained from her face. A pit formed at the bottom of her stomach. This couldn’t be happening. This had to be a dream!_

_But it wasn’t._

_The secret factory hidden in the depths of the mountains. The plethora of novel, military-grade weapons. The banners of Amon dangling from the ceiling. There was no denying the truth._

_Her father was an Equalist._

_Asami stared at Hiroshi, shellshocked as he strode towards her._

_“These people, these_ benders _. They took away your mother, the love of my life. They've ruined the world, but with Amon we can fix it and build a perfect world together. We can help people like us, everywhere!”_

_There was a glint in his eyes, and a smile graced his lips. It was a sign of pride and passion. It was the same expression he had always worn when he made a breakthrough in his inventions. Only this time, instead of creating technology that helped ordinary people, he was helping a monster destroy innocent lives._

_Asami watched in horror as the gentle hands that had always caressed her offered an electrified glove._

_“Join me, Asami.”_

_Asami caught a glimpse of the Fire Ferrets eyeing her. Asami looked back at her father and his outstretched hand eagerly awaiting her decision. In that moment, Asami knew that the loving man she had once known was gone. In his place was a mindless cult member, hellbent on ridding the world of benders._

_She knew what she had to do._

_“No! I won’t help you ruin innocent people’s lives, and I won’t let you hurt my friends!”_

_“You foolish, insolent child!”_

_“Arghhh!”_

_Asami cried as Hiroshi electrocuted her._

_Her entire body convulsed in agony before collapsing onto the ground. Her head slammed violently against the cold, marble floor. Her vision became blurry, but just before she slipped into unconsciousness, she heard the unmistakable bone-chilling laughter of the anointed one himself._

Amon, _Asami panicked._

_Using what little strength remained in her, Asami shakily lifted her head off the ground. Her three friends were kneeling before the dark prophet, who had his back turned towards her. Asami watched in horror as he placed his hands on her friends and their limp bodies slumped to the ground._

_“No! What have you done?” Asami cried._

_Tears streamed down her cheeks and she shut her eyes._

_“Now that you’ve chosen to align yourself with these filthy benders, you can perish alongside them!” Hiroshi roared._

_Hiroshi grabbed her hair and jerked her head upwards, forcing her to meet his gaze. Reluctantly, Asami opened her eyes. When she did, her blood ran cold._

_Hiroshi’s body was the same, but his face morphed into that of Amon’s._

_Ice blue eyes leered at her from behind the sinister mask._

_“W-What are you?” Asami gasped._

_The combined voice of her father and Amon whispered, “_ We _are the solution.”_

_Blue sparks began to fly from Hiroshi’s gauntlet as the monster reached for her forehead._

_“Help me!” Asami shrieked._

_Mere seconds before the monster ended her life, she heard a distant ‘bang!’ followed by a familiar voice._

_“Hang on, Asami!”_

Wait...Korra? 

Asami sat up in bed, panting as her heart thumped violently against her chest. 

_It was just a nightmare_ , Asami realized.

Asami recollected herself and scanned her surroundings. Korra was standing in the doorway, crouched in a fighting stance with fire blades in her hands. After finding no intruder in sight, the Avatar extinguished the flames and turned her attention to the heiress.

“I was walking back to my room, and I heard you scream. I thought you were in trouble,” Korra explained.

“I appreciate it. Don’t worry. It was just a nightmare,” Asami replied, her voice trailing off towards the end.

Neither girl spoke. The atmosphere grew thick as an awkward silence settled in. Assuming the Avatar would leave shortly, Asami allowed her thoughts to wander back to the dangerous zone it had been mired in for the past day. 

Her mother was gone.

Her father betrayed her.

Asami was all alone.

Despite Tenzin’s hospitality, she didn’t feel at ease on Air Temple Island. It just wasn’t her home. Then again, what was? The Sato Mansion used to be, but now that she knew the truth about her father, the thought of returning there sickened her. Her past had been tainted, and her future was uncertain. She had never felt so lost in her entire life.

Asami sighed and looked up. To her surprise, the Avatar was still there.

Korra stood upright, looking stiff as a tree. Her left hand was shoved in the pocket of her slacks, while her right hand rubbed the back of her neck, hidden by her thick brown locks which flowed loosely around her shoulders. She averted Asami’s gaze, choosing to stare at the floorboards instead. Squinting in the dim room, Asami noticed the corners of Korra’s mouth twitch, as if the teen was struggling to find the right words to say.

Wait.

Was Korra _nervous?_

Soon enough, Asami’s thoughts were miles away from her father. She had never seen Korra so flustered before. Even though she had just arrived in Republic City, she had already developed a reputation as hotheaded, wild, and intense. The teen that stood before her, however, was nothing short of an awkward mess. _It’s actually kind of...cute,_ Asami thought.

For the first time since the Equalist ambush, Asami genuinely smiled. 

Asami studied Korra intently, perplexed yet fascinated. After a moment, Korra met her gaze, and Asami realized she had been staring at the younger girl. Asami blushed and silently prayed Korra hadn’t noticed, but the bender’s subsequent chuckle was confirmation she did. 

“You checking me out or something?” Korra asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

“W-What? No, I just—” 

“Relax, I’m just messing with you,” Korra chuckled.

Asami let out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding in and laughed at her silly behavior. Given that Korra hadn’t left yet, Asami guessed the girl must’ve had a few things on her mind she wanted to share. In all honesty, Asami needed some company. With her boyfriend asleep on the other side of the island and the island’s gender separation policy, Korra was more than a welcomed presence.

“Do you, uh, want to sit down?” Asami asked.

Korra nodded in response. Asami scooched over, making room for the Avatar on her small bed. The bed creaked as Korra sat beside Asami. Asami gripped the sheets lightly, unsure of how to proceed. Fortunately, Korra broke the silence between them. 

“Listen, I know we didn’t get off on the right foot, but I just want to let you know I really appreciate you saving us yesterday, and I’m sorry about your father. It must’ve been so hard.”

Asami tensed at the mention of her father. Instinctively, she brought her knees up and hugged them to her chest, half hiding her face in the process. 

“It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault. It was his decision to join the Equalists,” Asami whispered, trying not to let her voice crack.

“You...haven’t cried yet.”

Asami’s jaw dropped.

She lifted her face out of her arms and turned to meet the younger girl’s gaze. Her sapphire eyes were etched with concern, and her facial features appeared softer than usual. _Has she been paying that close attention to me?_ Asami wondered as she watched the Avatar in shock.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it in a bad way,” Korra panicked, lifting her hands up. 

“For days I had awful nightmares about Amon. I was really scared, but I pretended like I wasn’t. Tenzin kept telling me that there’s no shame in admitting your fears, but I wouldn’t listen. After meeting Amon face-to-face, I finally lost it. I broke down crying in his arms, but in the end, I felt a lot better.”

Asami felt naked, exposed by the Avatar’s keen observation. Asami had been putting on a brave face for the sake of her friends. They had a dangerous revolution to quell. They couldn’t afford for her conflicted feelings towards her father to interfere with their mission. She had been wearing a mask, but the longer she wore it, the more it was beginning to crack.

“If you feel like crying, you should because nobody will judge you for it,” Korra continued, “I definitely won’t.”

The mask shattered and fell.

Asami’s eyes stung as tears began streaming down her cheeks. She buried her face into her hands, muffling her hiccups and ugly sobs. She cried and cried, not knowing or caring how much time had elapsed since the dam burst. At one point, she felt Korra place a hand on her upper back, lightly stroking up and down in an effort to comfort the heiress. 

“The truth is I am scared. My dad’s been harboring so much hate against benders since my mom died, and I had no idea. There was an Equalist factory right underneath my own house, for spirits sake! I looked up to my dad my entire life and never saw the anger growing inside him. How can I be so blind?”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. Your dad had us all fooled. Maybe your dad did love you, and in his twisted, messed-up mind, that was his way of showing it.”

“I know, but still...I can’t help but think if I can’t even trust my own family, who can I trust? Then again, it’s not like I have a family anymore.”

The hollowness Asami had felt when her mother passed away returned, intensified by the fact the last of her immediate family was gone. Asami had to assume the worst: Hiroshi was beyond salvation. _And if he can’t be saved, then I can’t see, speak, or hear from him ever again,_ Asami realized despondently. 

Before Asami could spiral further into the dark abyss of her mind, she felt a strong arm wrap around her, pulling her in. She tilted her head upwards, surprised to find Korra had tugged her into a side hug. 

“Katara told me when Aang found out that the Fire Nation wiped out his people, she told him even though the Air Nomads were gone, he wasn’t alone. She and Chief Sokka were his new family, and over time, they added Toph, Suki, and Lord Zuko to their family too.”

The unexpected physical contact zeroed Asami’s attention on the Avatar. Asami listened intently to her words while trying to parse out this feeling. Korra’s muscular arm was hard, like that of Mako’s, but at the same time, soft to the touch. It was warm and calming, and in it, Asami felt more secure than she had the entire day.

“You’re not alone, Asami,” Korra emphasized, “We’re a team now, and we’re your family too—if you want that, that is! Sorry, that came out weird.”

Asami giggled, genuinely touched by the younger girl’s words. 

“It’s okay, Korra. Actually, I needed to hear that,” Asami sighed.

The two sat in a comfortable silence, and all the while, Asami never left Korra’s embrace. Her father may have abandoned her, but her friends hadn’t. Sure, it was a bit strange for Asami to be in the arms of the girl she was in a love triangle with, but strange is exactly what she would expect from the Avatar. Most people in Korra’s situation wouldn’t have been so kind, wouldn’t have put their own feelings aside to take care of a rival, but Korra was far from most people. Beneath the tough exterior was a kind-hearted, selfless girl. With Korra beside her, everything that had happened didn’t feel so scary.

Suddenly, Asami yawned, and she was reminded of the daunting task of falling asleep.

“So aside from admitting your fears and crying it out, how do you make the nightmares go away?” Asami asked tiredly.

“Honestly, they don’t go away completely, but I manage a lot better than I did before. It definitely helps to have Naga sleep beside me. Sometimes, she’ll wake me up in the middle of the nightmare, and other times, she just comforts me once I wake myself up. She’s been doing it since I was little.”

“That’s amazing...My mother used to do the same with me. She’d sleep with me if I ever felt too scared to go back to bed.”

Korra’s eyes widened in realization and she turned to face Asami.

“I have an idea...It might sound a little weird, but trust me on this?”

 _Without a doubt_ , Asami thought as she nodded in response.

* * *

Korra led Asami down the dark hallways, trying to ignore the fluttering feeling in her stomach as the two made their way to her room. Upon reaching it, Korra slowly slid the door open, careful not to startle the half-ton polar bear. 

“Well, welcome to my room, I guess,” Korra whispered.

“It’s lovely,” Asami replied softly as she scanned her surroundings.

Aside from a few Water Tribe trinkets and Naga curled up in the middle of the room, it was identical to that of her own. As Korra closed the door, Naga’s ears perked up and she cracked open one eye. The pet glanced at Asami, who stood awkwardly in front of Korra, hugging her pillow to her chest, before giving her owner a questioning look.

Korra rolled her eyes and glared back at her animal guide. _I know it’s against the rules, but she can’t fall asleep on her own. What was I supposed to do?_ Korra communicated silently. Naga lifted and tilted her head in response, seemingly understanding the situation.

Korra turned her attention back to the heiress, who sat on the edge of the bed, directly beneath the rays of light filtering through the window. The moonlight danced off her pale skin, which was only half-cloaked by a thin satin nightgown. Standing beneath the light only accentuated her jet black hair and the emerald color of her eyes. Korra couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the older girl truly was. _No wonder why Mako’s so into her,_ Korra thought _._

“Um, so, do you have a sleeping bag or something I could lay on the floor?” Asami asked, breaking Korra from her trance.

Korra smiled at the girl, hoping it would ease her nerves.

“Nah, you take the bed.”

“Huh? Where will you sleep then?”

“On the floor with Naga. Speaking of which, I don’t think you two have had a proper introduction.”

Korra quietly whistled, and on cue, Naga lumbered over to the two girls. Asami gave Naga her palm, allowing the polar bear dog to familiarize herself with the new girl’s scent. After a few whiffs, Naga began licking Asami’s hands, making her laugh from the ticklish sensation.

“Not that I doubt Naga is a big ball of fluff,” Asami said as she scratched Naga behind the ears, “but I can’t kick you out of your own bed. I think it’s big enough to share, if you’re okay with that.”

Korra’s throat went dry at the thought of sleeping beside Asami. Something about the prospect made her nervous, but it didn’t matter. Tonight was about Asami, and Korra would do whatever it took to make her feel better.

“Fine by me,” Korra replied.

Asami placed her pillow beside that of Korra’s and lay down, flag against the wall. Naga returned to her end of the room as Korra climbed into the bed. Korra pulled the sheets over them and lay on her side, facing away from Asami. Despite Asami’s best effort to give her space, the mattress was simply too small for Korra to ignore the girl’s presence. Korra could feel the heat radiating off Asami, smell the jasmine in her hair, and hear her breaths come out in little whiffs. _Relax, this is just something normal girl friends do_ , she told herself. 

Then it hit her.

 _Huh, I guess we are kinda friends now,_ Korra realized.

Korra smiled at the thought. Asami was brave, kind, loyal, and had the strongest moral compass of anyone Korra had ever met. In every sense of the word, Asami was incredible, and Korra couldn't believe she was only now starting to realize it. 

“Hey Korra,” Asami whispered.

“Yeah, what’s up?” Korra asked.

“Thank you, for tonight.”

“Of course...Goodnight, Asami.”

She heard Asami mumble something indistinguishable before falling asleep. Korra turned her head, observing the girl and giggling at her soft snores before closing her eyes herself. If she could mend her relationship with Asami and help with her problems, maybe she wasn’t such a bad Avatar after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? Feel free to give constructive criticism- I won't be offended! Any feedback is helpful, and comments always encourage me to keep writing!
> 
> I'm hoping to post updates weekly/biweekly, and I'm not sure how many chapters this will have. Kinda depends on what new ideas pop into my head, haha. Let me know if you have any ideas as well :)
> 
> Anyways, next chapter's going to have some angst in it, and I actually look forward to tackling and trying to make sense of the clusterfuck that was S2.


	2. Not there anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set right after season finale of Book 1.  
> Korra's new relationship with Mako causes a rift between her and Asami, and oddly enough, Asami finds it's Korra she misses more than Mako.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *** DISCLAIMER: Brief mention of suicidal thoughts ***  
> Hi everyone! How was your week? I hope y'all are finding ways to keep entertained/busy during these times and perhaps through fanfiction :^) 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you'll enjoy the angst in this chapter cuz things between our star-crossed lovers have to go downhill before they get better -- AND I PROMISE THEY WILL GET BETTER VERY SOON.

Korra loved the feeling of the wind whipping her hair as Naga lopped across the tundra. The sensation of snowflakes melting against her skin brought a smile to her already numb face. For the first time since they arrived at the South Pole, Korra felt at peace. Well, actually she wasn’t at peace. She was absolutely overflowing with joy. 

Thirty minutes ago, Korra had been peering down a cliff, pondering whether her short time as the Avatar had come to an end—whether she should _end_ _it_. The moment she stared into the dark waters below had been the lowest point in her life, but it was the moment that allowed her to find _him_. Aang, along with all her past lives, had come to her. They restored her bending, and for the first time, she entered the Avatar state. 

Korra had never felt something so exhilarating before. The rush of power coursing through her veins as she bent the four elements was impossible to describe. It was a privilege few could ever experience, and for the first time, she truly felt grateful to be the Avatar. When she descended back to the ground, she was sure nothing could make her happier. That was, until she saw Mako behind her, awestruck by her might. It was then that Korra remembered his confession. She did the only thing she could think of, the thing that she had been dreaming of ever since they first crossed paths. 

She leapt into his arms and kissed him.

Korra blushed at the memory of their passionate exchange. Her giddiness was only exacerbated by the fact the firebender currently had his arms wrapped around her waist. 

“I can’t wait to see the look on everyone’s faces when we get back. Do you really think you can restore Lin’s bending?” Mako asked, cautiously optimistic.

“I can’t say for sure, but I have a good feeling about this,” Korra replied.

“I believe in you,” Mako reassured her as he pecked her cheek.

Korra smiled at his show of affection. Despite his hard-edge, the firebender had a soft side, one she hoped to see more of. “Thanks,” she whispered as she slapped the reins on Naga, urging the polar bear dog to run faster.

Slowly, the vast white expanse disappeared behind them, replaced by the plowed roads, igloos, and tents of nearby villages. Eventually, the trio arrived at the Compound, and upon spotting them, the White Lotus sentries raised the gates immediately.

As Naga crossed the Compound, Korra spotted Tenzin and Jinora anxiously pacing around outside of the healing hut. 

“Korra, you’re back!” Jinora shouted, alerting her father to the Avatar’s presence.

“Korra, are you alright?” Tenzin panicked.

“I’m fine, Tenzin. In fact, I—ahh!”

Naga skidded to an abrupt halt, catapulting her riders into a pile of snow beside the airbending master.  _ Not the graceful return I was hoping for, _ Korra thought to herself. Tenzin helped her out of the pile, and Mako regained his wits shortly afterwards. While dusting herself off, Korra noticed Jinora was gone, presumably off to tell the others the news.

“How are you feeling, Korra?” Tenzin asked again.

“Tenzin, you wouldn’t believe what happened! I met Avatar Aang!” Korra gushed.

“Y-You connected to your past lives?” He gasped.

“Not just that! I entered the Avatar state, and Aang gave me my bending back! He showed me how to energybend, and I have a feeling I’ll be able to restore everyone else’s bending too. Aww man, I wish you could’ve been there. It was incredible.”

“It really was,” Mako added.

Mako wrapped his arm around Korra’s shoulder and smiled at her lovingly. Tenzin’s eyes darted between the two teens. It didn’t take long for him to piece together what had happened, but before he could comment, the door burst open.

“Korra! Don’t you ever run off like that again! Pabu and I were so worried about you!”

“Sweetheart, you nearly gave your father and I a heart attack.”

“And what’s this I hear about grandpa Aang? Did you meet him? Did you tell him about me? Does he like being called Gramp Gramp?”

Suddenly, Korra was surrounded by her family and friends, barraging her with questions and scolding her from all sides. Even if they meant well, it proved just a bit overwhelming. 

“Everyone, please quiet down!” Korra commanded.

The crowd settled and listened intently.

“No questions for now. Just try not to freak out...Long story short, I connected to my past lives, who gave me my bending back, entered the Avatar state, and I think I can restore Amon’s victims’ bending, but I’m gonna need a spiritual place and a test subject, so does anyone know where Chief Beifong is?” 

By the end of her verbal marathon, everyone was staring at her dumbfounded. She couldn’t blame them for needing time to process the information, but the silence was starting to make her anxious.  _ Someone please say something, so I know I haven’t lost my mind, _ Korra prayed.

“I think she went to the gym to let off steam.”

_ Fuck. _

Korra recognized that voice immediately and came crashing down from her high. Soon, all feelings of pride were replaced by panic. In her excitement, she had completely forgotten one critical fact: she had officially stolen Asami’s boyfriend. 

“Well, there’s no time to waste. I’ll talk to Lin. Tonraq, any ideas on a spiritual location?” Tenzin asked, stroking his beard.

“There’s an old temple just outside the city. Senna and I will prepare a carriage,” Tonraq replied.

“Then it’s settled. Korra, wait here while I find Lin. Everyone, get ready. We leave immediately,” Tenzin instructed.

The crowd slowly dispersed, beginning with Tenzin and Korra’s parents. After exchanging a few words, Katara, Pema, and the children headed back into the hut, leaving just the members of Team Avatar. 

As soon as the door closed behind them, the atmosphere grew tense. Without the others around, Asami had a clear view of the new couple. Mako had a hand on Korra’s waist, and Korra was tucked into his side. After seeing Asami’s crestfallen expression, Korra immediately teared herself away from the firebender. For a brief moment, the girls’ gazes met. A pit formed in Korra's stomach upon seeing Asami’s emerald eyes, glistened with the tears she was holding back. It was bad enough that Korra had convinced her (ex)boyfriend to cheat on her, but rubbing it in her face like this? How inconsiderate was she? They had finally started becoming friends, but in typical Korra fashion, she had ruined it. 

Soon enough, Korra was jerked out of her pity party by Bolin’s nervous stammering.

The earthbender was standing awkwardly between the couple and Asami, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the sky. 

“Well, as much as I’d like to catch up with you guys, I think it’s past Pabu’s lunchtime, so I’m just gonna, aha, you know, y-yeah, bye!” 

Bolin darted into the hut in a blink of an eye, and Korra chastised herself for putting their mutual friend in such an uncomfortable position.

“I’m glad you got your bending back, Korra...And congrats, you two,” Asami said softly, trying to hide her pain. 

The gesture tugged at Korra’s heartstrings. Korra hated seeing the engineer, who had given up so much to help her, look so _sad_. Korra felt her body move on its own, closing the gap between her and the heiress, but before she could place her hand on Asami, the teenager backed away.

“I should go help the others,” Asami said abruptly. 

With that, she turned and walked away. 

Korra let her hand linger in the air before lowering it, as if to grasp onto the figure that was no longer there. In the background, she could hear Mako tell her Asami just needed time, but it was all a buzz. All Korra could think about were all the times her parents had scolded her for being too selfish. Korra had convinced herself that she deserved to be happy, that she deserved to be with Mako. Of course, she still wanted that. She just wished she had realized earlier on how pursuing her happiness meant taking away some of Asami’s.

_ First her father, then her boyfriend. Just how much are you going to take away from her? _

* * *

_ “Dad, stop!” _ Asami shrieked into the night.

Her eyes snapped open.

Asami sighed in relief once she saw the only thing above her was the wooden ceiling of the Compound—not a mechatank. She pulled the fur pelts over her chest, although she doubted the chills running up her skin had to do with the cold. Turning on her side, she reached for the clock on the nightstand. It was half past three, and like every night this past week, she hadn’t managed to sleep for more than an hour or two straight. 

Then again, how could she?

Her own father had tried to  _ kill _ her. The image of Hiroshi hovering over her, foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog, was seared in her memory. The madman’s voice, bitter and full of rage, rang in her ears. Her failure to recognize the monster in her father would haunt her for the rest of her life. However, what broke her heart the most was that despite the fact he had tried to end her life, she would never—could never—do the same. 

Tears began streaming down her cheeks for the umpteenth time, soaking the pillow beneath her. In that moment, Asami recalled one of the few memories she had of her mother. Asami must’ve been five or six at the time. As per their routine, Yasuko had tucked her in and read her bedtime story. However, the story she told that night didn’t exactly have a happy ending.

_ “Although Avatar Roku’s legacy remains controversial, he is still admired by many, who remember him for the purity of his heart and his selfless, final act.” _

_ “I don’t like this story, mommy! It’s not fair!” _

_ “And why’s that, sweetie?” _

_ “All Avatar Roku wanted was to help people, and he was always so good to Sozin. How could his best friend abandon him like that?” _

_ “I don’t know, baby. People are complicated, and so is the world.” _

_ “But good guys are supposed to win. Why did Roku have to suffer if he was the good guy?” _

_ “Because, Asami, good people don’t do the right thing for themselves. They do it because it’s the right thing, even if it means they get hurt in the process.”  _

Asami laughed darkly at the irony of her situation. She had sacrificed the last of her family to help restore balance. She could never forgive the firebender that took her mother or those like him, yet somehow, she wound up on their side. Tragic backstory or not, to Asami, Amon was no different than the Triad thugs. He abused his power and used it to hurt innocent people. As much as she sympathized with the frustrations of his followers, she knew two wrongs didn’t make a right.

Asami had done exactly what her mother said that night. She chose the side of good, irrespective of what it meant for her personally. She was grateful to have been able to play a role in saving the city, even if its residents didn’t appreciate her (and she doubted they would as long as she shared the Sato name). Ending a dangerous revolution was a reward in and of itself, and thus far it seemed like it would be her only reward.

Thinking about Roku’s story, Asami couldn’t help but empathize with the late Avatar. While she wouldn’t in a thousand Avatar cycles compare her friends to Sozin, she couldn’t say she didn’t feel abandoned by them either. Sure, Bolin was still there. He had comforted Asami after they captured her father, and he had checked on her every day since then. Bolin had been nothing short of a true friend, but what about Korra and Mako? 

Understandably, until yesterday, all anyone had been able to do was worry about Korra, Asami included. The Avatar losing one of her defining abilities should’ve been the top concern. But now that Korra was back and stronger than ever, did nobody care about Asami’s problems? Would it have killed Mako or Korra to ask her how she was feeling? To offer condolences or attempt to comfort her, even if she didn’t want it? That’s what friends were supposed to do.

That’s what Korra did once.

Asami felt a pang in her chest at the memory of that night. As much as it hurt to see the person she loved with someone new, she could never hold a grudge against Korra. Any feelings of jealousy would be immediately replaced by the nostalgia of the night they had spent together. That night had proven to Asami that, despite her abrasive exterior, Korra was genuinely a kind person at heart. Reflecting on that memory, Asami regretted rebuffing Korra earlier that afternoon. In fact, she wished that Korra were here now, especially given that her nightmares were intensifying. 

Suddenly, Asami heard heavy footsteps from down the corridor, startling her. As the footsteps approached her door, she could distinguish the sound of claws scraping against the wooden floorboards. 

She knew exactly who it was. 

Asami threw off the covers, shivering as soon as the cold air touched her skin. She wrapped her arms around herself and made her way to the door. Upon opening it, she was met with a fuzzy white head and two brown eyes.

“Naga? What are you doing here?” Asami asked, surprised.

Asami’s eyes darted around the polar bear dog’s massive form and down the corridors. Seeming to sense what, or rather who, Asami was looking for, Naga offered a soft whimper. Judging by Naga's reaction, Asami realized that Korra hadn’t come along.

“Korra sent you here, didn’t she?” Asami sighed.

Naga barked softly in response.

Asami’s stomach sunk. While Naga was always welcomed, her presence also meant that Korra had heard Asami tossing and turning in her sleep. Instead of coming to console her herself, she had delegated the task to her animal guide. Asami didn’t know whether to feel more or less abandoned in that moment.  _ Have things between us changed that quickly?  _ Asami wondered dejectedly.

Naga gently headbutted Asami’s chest, breaking the engineer from her trance. Asami admired the intelligent creature’s ability to read emotions, and she couldn’t help but chuckle at how Naga had buried herself in Asami’s torso. Asami hugged Naga's burly neck, and as she did, she felt lighter, as if an invisible weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

“Thanks, girl. I’m glad you’re here.” Asami whispered. 

Naga broke the embrace and gently licked Asami’s cheek.

Asami flashed the polar bear dog a smile and led her inside the room. Naga barely slipped through the entrance, and Asami thanked the spirits that she didn’t break the doorframe in the process. The room was just spacious enough for Naga to curl into a ball beside Asami’s bed. However, Asami didn’t want to sleep in her bed anymore.

Reminiscing on that night on Air Temple Island, Asami pulled a pelt off the bed and slowly sat beside Naga. The animal eyed her curiously but didn’t show any signs of aggression or discomfort. Eventually, Asami settled against Naga’s side, burying herself in Naga’s soft, white coat. Naga’s body heat relaxed Asami’s tense muscles. The steady rise and fall of her breath was almost therapeutic. Asami found solace in Naga’s presence. However, she had a feeling part of that had less to do with Naga herself than her owner. Sleeping against Naga made her feel closer to Korra, something she curiously found herself wanting more of now that the bender was starting to put distance between them. 

_ It’ll be okay, eventually. Besides, it’s probably for the best you give yourself some space to get over Mako... Before you know it, you’ll be back to being normal friends. Korra wouldn’t just leave you. _

At least that’s what Asami wanted to believe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse the light Makorra. I felt that I had to at least touch on it in order to stay true to Korra's character and storyline as she was at this point very into Mako, and for his flaws, Mako is not a bad guy. I also felt that there has to be some angst between Asami and Korra at this point in time, and let's be real, what good FF doesn't have angst? ;)
> 
> I will make this up to you by posting an extra long chapter next week where Asami and Korra makeup.  
> As always, feel free to give feedback on this chapter!


	3. Reconiliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set between Book 1 and Book 2.
> 
> Three months have passed since Team Avatar quashed the Equalist Revolution. Team Avatar is in shambles. Asami is treading water after inheriting her father's mess. Pema feels guilty over her role in Korra stealing Mako. And Korra realizes it's time she stop avoiding Asami and apologize to her. In the process, she realizes she has feelings for the girl that she just can't explain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this update took longer than anticipated! Classes got the better of me, but I hope this long chapter is compensation(?)  
> Also, I apologize to those who already read the first two chapters of the fic. I know I said this chapter would be their """date""" and I was originally planning on writing that as well, but the first half ended up being so long that I decided it's best to split it into two chapters instead. 
> 
> Like I said before, one of the things I want to do with this fanfic is fill in some gaps that series was not able to cover. Asami and Korra lack interaction for most of Book 1 and 2, and they seem to get over the Mako issue pretty quickly, so I definitely want to write more about the tension between the two girls over Mako and their resolution of it. Given the tension between the two from the previous chapter, I felt that a fully-flushed out apology was needed, and I hope this delivers it! 
> 
> I PROMISE THE DATE WILL COME NEXT CHAPTER!

Three months.

It had been three months since Team Avatar defeated Amon.

Three months since Asami was left to pick up the pieces of her father’s treachery.

Three months since Korra became a fully realized Avatar.

And three months since the two girls had last spoken normally.

Asami sighed as she leaned back against her seat. She was on the evening ferry to Air Temple Island, a binder full of blueprints and failed contracts in her lap. Per her new daily routine, she had short-circuited her brain fending off predatory lawyers and negotiating with board members—who _still_ viewed her as nothing more than a spoiled child. Leaning against the railing, Asami breathed in the smell of Yue Bay. The feeling of the sea breeze tickling her face only slightly eased her nerves over what would inevitably be another tense dinner.

After Asami moved back to Sato Mansion, Tenzin and Pema had insisted she, along with the rest of Team Avatar, join their family for a meal once a week. Pema had gotten used to Asami’s help around the kitchen during her brief stay, and Asami quite enjoyed the older woman’s company as well. Coming from a somewhat different angle, Tenzin had told her such gatherings would help bring balance to herself, especially during such a tumultuous time in her life. 

But balanced was the last thing she felt during these dinners.

The tension between her, Korra, and Mako was palpable. The couple would freeze up any time Asami entered the room. Laughter would fade to an awkward silence, and it was nearly impossible to maintain a steady conversation. Despite Asami’s best efforts to be supportive of her friends and their relationship, they simply couldn’t relax around her. For Mako, it was apparently so bad that he’d begun taking extra shifts at the police station just to avoid her.

And then there was Korra.

For the first two months, Asami had intentionally distanced herself from the waterbender. Even if her romance with Mako was short-lived, her feelings had been genuine. Asami recognized she needed time and space to recover from that pain, which meant avoiding his new girlfriend as well. Thankfully, there was plenty of work for Asami to bury herself in. With the Sato name so toxic that even the smallest proprietorships steered clear of Future Industries, Asami had devoted herself fully to reviving her family’s company, which was now clinging to life. 

She had pulled countless all-nighters, and exhaustion was beginning to take its toll. During the nights when she lay awake in bed, Asami couldn’t help but think back to that night on Air Temple Island. Whether it was out of her fear of abandonment or some unspoken attraction to the Avatar, Asami missed the way Korra had cared for her that night. The longing she felt was only exacerbated by the fact that for the past month, Korra had basically rejected all of her attempts to re-establish their budding friendship.

Tonight, Asami surmised, would be no different. 

“We’re almost there, Miss Sato!” A male air acolyte informed her.

Asami watched solemnly as the island grew larger and larger until eventually they reached the docks, where three more acolytes awaited them. The tireless workers hastily moored the ship before securing a ramp. Once the captain gave her the go-ahead, Asami quickly placed her binder in her satchel, thanked the crew, and made her way down to the pier. There, she was greeted by an enthusiastic Bolin. 

“There’s my favorite CEO,” Bolin exclaimed as he threw his arms around her, “So how’s work?”

“Let’s just say every cold call I made this week went cold,” Asami huffed as she returned his embrace.

Bolin frowned at her response, and his eyes filled with concern. 

“Aww, well, how about a little Bolin time to cheer you up? I could show you the new tricks I taught Pabu.”

On cue, the fire ferret popped out from underneath his collar. Pabu chirped happily upon seeing Asami and began kissing her face. 

“Good to see you too, Pabu,” Asami chuckled as she scratched his chin, “I’d love to see your new moves.”

His owner grinned widely at her response, no doubt because few people ever took him up on that offer. Right as things began to lighten up, Bolin appeared to recall something, and his expression fell slightly.

“Actually, it’ll have to wait until after dinner,” Bolin said as he twiddled his thumbs nervously. “Pema finished earlier than she planned, and I was actually on my way to get Korra and the kids.” 

At the mention of the Avatar, Asami’s mood soured slightly, but she tried her best not to show it. Bolin had been in a difficult position these past months, acting as the messenger hawk within the love triangle. He was the rubber band that held their fragile group together, and Asami would be lying if she said she didn’t feel somewhat responsible for his predicament as well. 

Mustering a smile, Asami reassured him, “You go on ahead. I’ll help Pema set the table.”

The earthbender smiled at her softly, as if to say, “everything will be alright,” before disappearing off along the trail, leaving Asami alone with her confusing thoughts.

* * *

Pema vigorously scrubbed the dirty dishes underneath the running water, both to prevent the grime from sticking onto the porcelain and to focus her mind. Being an air acolyte and housewife, these daily routines had become ritualistic, in fact, meditative to her. They calmed her and sharpened her mind for the next task she faced.

That task stood beside her at the very moment.

From the corner of her eye, Pema watched Asami dry the dishes and organize them methodically. The two worked in sync, as the industrialist’s presence had too become part of Pema’s weekly ritual. However, spending so much time with the teenager also meant that Pema had witnessed firsthand the toll her responsibilities were taking on her.

Asami was noticeably thinner than three months ago. Although her foundation and eyeshadow hid it well, the sleepless nights she’d described left her looking paler and more weary-eyed than before. Pema couldn’t blame the girl. After all, thousands of livelihoods and her family’s honor depended on her every move. Unfortunately, neither she nor Tenzin had very good advice to offer Asami in her particular field. All they could do was cheer her on from the sidelines and support her in her personal life. 

Unfortunately, Pema was not off to a good start in that area.

When Korra sought her romantic counsel three months ago, Pema had freely shared her own story. Hearing the Avatar describe her feelings for Mako reminded Pema of her own path to true love. In her nostalgia, Pema had suggested she confess to the firebender, and yes, “steal” him from the girl he was never meant to be with.

What Korra had failed to mention was that that girl, one, was their friend and two, would come to _live_ on Air Temple Island with them.

“That’s a wrap! Cleaning goes a lot faster when we don’t have to deal with Mako’s dishes. He eats a lot more than he’d like to admit,” Asami commented as she shut the cabinets.

At the mention of Mako, a hint of sadness swept across her face, and Pema bit her lower lip in guilt. As resilient as the young CEO was, she was still a nineteen-year-old girl. She was allowed to feel heartbreak over her first love. It was unfortunate timing that it should happen when her entire life was being upheaved. Out of maternal instinct and a sense of personal culpability, Pema couldn’t sit by and watch Asami pine over Mako any longer.

“Listen, Asami, I think it’s time you and I had a girl-to-girl talk,” Pema suggested.

Asami turned to meet her gaze, her emerald eyes full of curiosity.

“I can’t help but notice things between you, Mako, and Korra have been, well, tense of late.”

At first, Asami opened her mouth to protest but then sighed in defeat.

“So we’re not doing a very good job of hiding it, huh?” Asami rubbed her arm nervously.

“Well, I don’t think it’s something you should be trying to hide so much as resolve. Just because you and Mako aren’t together anymore doesn’t mean you all can’t be friends.”

The comment must’ve triggered something in Asami because for the first time, Pema witnessed the normally composed heiress snap back.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to do for the past month! I may’ve been a little distant at first, but it was because I couldn’t handle seeing them together without getting angry or jealous or sad. But lately it feels like _I’m_ always the one reaching out, trying to be friends, and every time, it’s like a door slams in my face.”

Asami slumped back against the counter and grasped the bridge of her nose.

The sight saddened Pema and made her wonder if Lin had felt this dejected after she stole Tenzin. Pema was about to launch into a spiel about how Mako, like Tenzin, may not have ended their relationship in the most gracious manner but still cared for her. It was simply hard keeping an old lover in one’s life while introducing a new one. Mistakes were bound to be made, but it was nothing an open conversation about boundaries and hard work couldn’t fix. 

“Asami, I know it’s hard, but try to think about it from—”

“From Korra’s perspective, I know.”

 _Oh?_ Pema’s jaw went slightly slack.

“I know it’s weird to be friends with your boyfriend’s ex, and I guess she’s worried about me trying to get back together with Mako. It makes sense logically, but I just thought she’d have a little more faith in me than that.” 

_Well, this is curious,_ Pema thought to herself as Asami continued her rant. 

“Sure, I miss what I had with Mako, but at this point, I just don’t want to lose anyone. Not Bolin, not Mako, not Korra. I thought Korra and I were becoming friends, but now I just...I just wish I knew what was going on inside her head...” 

_It seems I’ve miscalculated,_ Pema mused. The older woman had noticed the shift in the two girls’ dynamic, but she’d always assumed the tension between them had been indirect in nature, that the only thing tying them together was their respective relationship to the firebender. However, it was clear Asami’s frustrations were _very_ directed at the Avatar herself. While Lin and Pema had never gotten along to begin with, Asami and Korra’s pre-existing friendship added an extra layer of complexity to the situation, and untangling this mess would require especially delicate maneuvering. 

“Well, in the short time I’ve come to know Korra, I can tell you that she isn’t the best with words. She’s an act first, explain later gal.” 

Asami chuckled, a good sign their relationship was salvageable.

“If you want answers from Korra, you’ll have to ask her directly. I’m afraid her tomboyishness applies to feelings as well,” Pema said as she rolled her eyes.

“You don’t think it’ll make things worse, do you? I can barely call Team Avatar a team right now,” Asami asked, insecurity evident in her voice.

“Asami, all that matters is that this has been bothering you, and you deserve closure,” Pema reassured her.

She stepped closer and took the adolescent’s hands in her own, and Asami looked back at Pema in surprise at the motherly gesture. 

“You have a big heart, Asami. You’re always taking care of other people, but you need to take care of yourself too. That’s all Tenzin and I want for you. If you can’t relax at dinnertime until you knock some sense into that dense Avatar, then by all means, do it.

* * *

A bead of sweat dripped down Korra’s forehead as she struggled to stay balanced atop the ten foot podium. Squinting, Korra could make out Ikki smirking devilishly from across the makeshift airball court, spinning the ball on her index finger.

“I’m not losing this one,” Korra muttered to herself.

With lightning speed, Ikki hurled the airball into the field. 

Korra’s eyes darted back and forth, trying to keep up as the sphere ricocheted off the wooden posts in every direction. Realizing it’d hit her goal from an angle, Korra frantically leapt onto an adjacent pole several feet away. With barely a millisecond to spare, Korra intercepted the projectile with an air funnel, pivoted 360 degrees, and blasted it across the field over Ikki’s head and straight into her goalpost.

“One point for Korra! The score is tied!” Jinora announced from the sidelines.

“Heyyy! A little sisterly love here?!” Ikki whined.

“A referee can’t take sides, Ikki!” Her sibling bit back.

Korra watched as the two girls continued to squabble and felt (or rather smelt) Meelo airblast himself onto a neighboring pole.

“Women, am I right?” Meelo scoffed, “That’s why it takes a man to be your coach!” 

Meelo then flexed his nonexistent biceps, and Korra struggled to contain her ensuing laughter. “Sure thing, coach,” Korra replied, amused. 

Although Pema may have been worn out by the children’s rambunctiousness, Korra doubted she would ever tire of their charades. Despite their age difference, Korra felt right at place with the airbending children. Playing with them, teasing them, watching them bicker made her feel like she was reclaiming her childhood, one that was lost to the duties of being the Avatar.

“Are you ready, Korra?” Jinora shouted, waking the bender from her trance.

“Bring it on!” Korra yelled as she dropped into a fighting stance.

On the other side, Ikki leered at the Avatar like a sabertooth moose lion. Korra took a deep breath, readying herself for her opponent’s next move when she heard Meelo holler at her. 

“You have to win, Korra! I can’t look bad in front of the beautiful woman!”

 _Beautiful woman? Crap! That means_ —

“Arghh!” Korra exclaimed as the airball rammed into her stomach and sent her flying off the podium!

Korra’s back painfully slammed into a pole, stunning her. However, she retained just enough feeling in her fingertips to create a small air cushion, which broke her fall to the stone floor. After coughing her lungs out, she sat up and recalled what Meelo had uttered before her ungraceful fall. _There’s only one person Meelo calls “beautiful woman,” which means_ —

“Korra, we need to talk.”

_Uh oh._

Frantically, Korra looked up and saw Asami hovering over her. Her arms were crossed and her eyebrows were knitted in a look that Korra could only describe as “you’re dead.” 

“H-hey, Asami. Um, sure, I’d love to talk, but maybe I should see a healer first?” 

“You’re fine, Korra. I’ve seen you take bigger hits than that.”

 _Oh for spirits’ sake, why does she have to be so smart?_ Korra cursed inwardly. She glanced around, hoping the children would provide some escape route for her, but of course, when she needed them the most, they’d vanished.

“So...What can I do for you, Asami?” Korra asked awkwardly.

However, Korra knew exactly what Asami had umbrage with. For the past month, her formal rival had been trying to reach out, offering her olive branch after olive branch of peace, and Korra had set each one on fire. 

“Korra, why are you avoiding me?” It sounded more like a demand than a question.

“I-I haven’t been avoiding you,” Korra stammered.

“Really? Because every time I enter the room, you find the quickest way out. We haven’t hung out once outside of groups, and even then, you barely speak to me. What exactly is your _problem_ with me?”

Korra gulped.

It wasn’t that she held a grudge against Asami. In fact, Korra was astonished that Asami _didn’t_ hold a grudge against her. Asami’s mere presence reminded Korra of all she had taken from her: her father, her reputation, _and_ her boyfriend. Despite that, Asami never once showed a sign of turning against them. Despite the darkness that surrounded her, Asami shone light. Call it what one would: mental fortitude or moral superiority. Either way, whenever Korra compared herself to Asami, she became acutely aware of her own shortcomings, both as the Avatar and as a person. Truthfully, it was simply _easier_ to avoid Asami and thus avoid her own nagging insecurities. 

Realizing there was no escape in sight, Korra sighed. “Alright, you caught me,” she admitted sheepishly under Asami’s interrogating gaze. 

“I can’t believe you finally ‘fessed up,” Asami scoffed, frustration evident in her tone. “Come on, there’s no reason things have to be weird between us because of Mako.” 

“I don’t want things to be weird because of him!” Korra wasted no time in responding because that much was true. Korra had wanted to get closer with the heiress, but she just didn’t know how to move past this roadblock. 

“But they are, and everyone knows it!” Asami was yelling now. Startled by her unexpected outburst, Korra instinctively jumped back, as if she were a cornered animal choosing flight over fight. Inadvertently, though, eyes locked with those of Asami’s, causing her to stop dead in her tracks.

“Korra...what exactly am I to you?” Asami asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The question was loaded with confusion and pain. Korra’s heart ached for the girl. In typical Asami fashion, she had penetrated the Avatar’s defenses, confronting her with the question she did not want to answer.

“Y-you’re our friend,” Korra stuttered, praying Asami wouldn’t see through the blatant lie.

“Yeah, a friend you pretend doesn’t exist.” Asami wrapped her arms around her elbows, as if to comfort herself because nobody else would. “You all say I’m a member of ‘Team Avatar,’ but Bolin’s the only one that talks to me. So am I your friend, or am I just some glorified chauffeur?”

 _What?!_ After giving up everything she’d ever known to save the city, Asami seriously thought she was nothing more than their designated driver? Reeling from shock, Korra blurt out the first thing that came to mind. 

“Asami, please. Of course you’re more than just a free ride!” 

Judging by her frown and timbre growl, Korra knew she had chosen the wrong words. Silently, she prayed some calamity would strike in that moment and save her from her own embarrassment. 

“Okay, that came out wrong,” Korra thought aloud as she rubbed her neck.

“Or maybe it came out the exact way you meant!” Asami shook her head. “Oh, forget it! I couldn’t stand by and watch the Equalists take over Republic City, but I don’t have to continue to be part of a team that doesn’t appreciate me!” Asami yelled as she began marching away. 

Panic overtook Korra as the reality of the situation dawned on her. Asami was going to leave Air Temple Island—and she would not come back. Taking responsibility had never been Korra’s forte, but she couldn’t deny the facts. She had pushed Asami away. She had told herself she needed to keep Asami at a distance for her to heal, but it was nothing more than an excuse for her own immature behavior. 

Apologizing to Asami, being friends with Asami—it was a challenge Korra didn’t know how to face, one that she had been too _scared_ to face. Instead of apologizing, she kept her mouth shut. Instead of striving to be a better friend, Korra chose the comfort of her old habits. With the possibility of their brief relationship ending on a bitter note, Korra realized how utterly pathetic she had been. _Damn it, Korra, you’ve never backed down from a challenge before, and you sure aren’t gonna start now!_

“Asami, wait!” Korra grabbed her wrist, causing the engineer to halt. When Asami turned around, Korra saw that her eyes, though still full of uncertainty, now contained a glimmer of hope. This was perhaps Korra’s only chance to make amends, and she would not waste it.

“You’re right. We haven’t appreciated you enough. _I_ haven’t appreciated you enough.” The next two words were lodged in her throat, but she forced them out, “I’m sorry.” 

Apologizing was a rather foreign feeling for the Avatar. It made her feel vulnerable, exposed, but Asami was listening, and that was all that mattered. 

“The truth is the reason I’ve been avoiding you is—after everything that happened—I can’t help but feel guilty.” 

Korra suddenly felt lighter, relieved to finally stop carrying the weight of those words. Asami must’ve noticed it too because her mood shifted in that instant as well. 

“Guilty? For what?” She asked, speaking in a softer tone than before. 

“For ruining your life I guess? You lost your father and...you know...Mako...because of me. I always thought the Avatar makes the good guys happy, but I feel like I’ve done the opposite for you.” Korra stared at Asami intently, desperately wanting her to understand how much she regretted her actions. “I told myself giving you space would help you heal, but I was just trying to make myself feel better, and I hurt you even more...”

Slipping her slender fingers between Korra’s calloused ones, Asami gave the Avatar’s hand a light squeeze. The gesture made Korra feel warm inside, although she couldn’t pinpoint how or why. 

“I had no idea that’s how you felt,” Asami whispered, almost guilty.

Korra blushed, still puzzled as to why Asami had not let go _and_ why she herself did not particularly _want_ the engineer to let go.

“Listen, you have nothing to worry about. Did losing my father and you know who hurt? Of course, but I’ve also had a lot of fun along the way.” Asami stepped closer, causing her stomach to flutter. “Fighting alongside the Avatar is like a dream come true. You’ve given me a life full of adventure, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

Korra’s eyes went wide. That had been the last thing she expected to hear.

“Really? You mean that?” Korra asked animatedly. 

Asami chuckled at the puppy dog look plastered across her face. “I do,” Asami said as she flashed a smile, “So let’s put this chapter behind us?” 

“Yes, please, before Pema kicks me off the island,” Korra joked.

Asami stared at her curiously for a moment before bursting into laughter, her soothing voice tickling Korra’s ears. It was the first time in months that Korra had seen Asami so cheerful, and it dawned on her just how much she missed these light-hearted moments with the older girl. Soon enough, Korra found herself joining in on her self-depreciation. 

When their joint laughter finally subsided, Korra cleared her throat. There was one last thing she needed Asami to understand if they were to move forward.

“Look, Asami, I’m not very good at this friendship thing. I was sent to the Compound when I was little, so aside from Naga, I’ve never had friends in my whole life. I’m gonna screw up, but I promise I’m going to be better.” 

The passion with which Korra made her vow took Asami by surprise, and a faint blush dotted her cheeks. _Is she actually_ _flustered_? Korra wondered.

“I can’t say I don’t understand where you’re coming from,” Asami admitted, refocusing Korra’s attention from her peculiar reaction to her words. “My dad sheltered me after my mother passed away. I guess that’s why I was so afraid of losing the few friends I do have. I’m sorry I got so mad just now.”

There was a sting to Asami’s words, one that rubbed acid in an open wound.

 _She called us friends, but we really aren’t, are we?_ Korra realized dejectedly.

But Korra didn’t want it to be this way anymore. 

Ever since the day the two raced around the track, Korra felt a gravitational pull towards Asami. Her entire life she had been told she was too wild, too emotional, but that day, Korra had finally met her match. Despite outward appearances, Asami was someone who could be as intense as Korra—someone who understood her. 

Even if in its infancy, that connection was worth fighting for.

“You know, it kinda sucks how we could’ve been spending these past three months getting to know each other instead of me being a jerk,” Korra thought aloud.

“Yeah, if only there were a way to make up for lost time,” Asami echoed.

And then it hit her.

Katara’s old stories suddenly came to mind. The master had told her that her relationship with Toph started off rather well, rocky, but through a couple near death experiences and one-on-one “girl time,” the two became genuine friends. Although scamming an entire village was not an option, unless they wanted to end up in an interrogation room with Lin, a girls’ day out may’ve been what the two needed.

Overly enthusiastic about her brilliant idea, Korra could not stop the words from rolling off her tongue.

“Asami, let me take you out!”

Asami’s face turned beet red as she stammered “w-what?” Realizing the double meaning of her words, Korra made a mental note to slap herself in the face once she was alone. _Let’s try this again,_ Korra gathered her thoughts as she crystallized the sweat on her neck to cool down her rising temperature.

“Let’s have a girls’ night out. Just you and me having fun,” Korra clarified. Upon seeing Asami’s blank reaction, Korra nervously added, “Please tell me that’s something they do here in the city.”

“It is, and I’d love to...It’s just that I’ve got a lot of work to do. Future Industries is in deep water, and I’m barely keeping it afloat.” Judging by the sadness in her voice, Korra knew her reply had been genuine. Neither Asami’s weary appearance nor personality change had gone unnoticed by everyone. Her emerald eyes, once bright and full of energy, appeared duller and lacked the original spark that once captivated Korra.

“I know you’ve got a lot on your plate, and it’s amazing how well you’ve been holding up.” Korra placed a hand on Asami’s shoulder, determined to get through to her. “But everyone needs a break, and if there’s anyone who deserves one, it’s you.”

Biting her lip, Asami struggled to come up with an adequate rebuttal. Korra could see the gears turning inside her brain and took pride in defeating her normally flawless logic.

“Come on, take one night off. It’ll help you relax, and you can go back to work the next day, all refreshed and ready to mechanize—or whatever you call it.” 

Covering her mouth, Asami began to giggle at Korra’s bumbling. Korra was never one to tolerate teasing well, but if it lifted Asami’s spirits, she would make an exception this one time.

“Alright, you win. So what’s the plan? I assume it doesn’t involve makeovers and spas.” Asami quipped.

“Not a chance, princess!” Korra guffawed. Although they weren’t close, Korra had a good enough of an idea of what the two had in common. “Meet me here at six tomorrow, and don’t you worry about a thing! I've got this one.” 

A stream of ideas rushed through her head. This was the most exhilarated she had felt in the months since she first entered the Avatar state. How a simple task like planning an evening out with Asami had such an effect on her, Korra had no idea.

Asami grinned, but right when she opened her mouth to reply, there was a call.

“Miss Sato, it’s getting dark, and the ferry is prepared. Are you ready to board?” A female air acolyte called out.

 _Way to ruin the moment, pal._ Korra felt the vein above her eye pulse in irritation, but she was soon pulled out by Asami’s gentle voice.

“Yes! I’ll be there in a second,” Asami called out before returning her gaze to Korra, causing her heartrate to pick up pace. 

_Why?_ Korra asked herself.

“Thank you, Korra. I’m looking forward to tomorrow!” 

Then, Asami tepidly pulled Korra into a hug. The unexpected contact sent a shiver up Korra’s spine before the warmth of Asami’s body flooded that of her own. After overcoming her initial shock, Korra wrapped her arms around Asami’s shoulder blades and gently squeezed back.

“See you later then!” Asami said as she released herself from Korra’s grip.

Korra nodded, then watched as the engineer rushed to the air acolyte’s side. As soon as Asami disappeared from her line of sight, Korra felt...colder. Maybe it was because the sun was setting and giving way to the chilly spring night. Or maybe it was something else, something about the girl that Korra could not put her finger on, but one thing was for sure.

She desperately wanted to find out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope my portrayal of Korra made sense! As a tomboy, I figured she'd have a hard time expressing emotions, particularly when it comes to guilt or owning mistakes. It's still crazy for me to think she was isolated in that tiny compound for 17 YEARS!!! I'm honestly surprised her social skills were so good given that she literally had no human friends her age. She's far from perfect, of course, but she tries to be better and that's what matters 😊 What are your thoughts about Pema's POV as well? I thought it'd be nice to write from supporting characters' perspectives just to change things up a bit. 
> 
> As always, feel free to give me criticism! I'm aiming to have the next chapter up in the next couple weeks, but I won't lie, it may get delayed due to school. Please let me know your thoughts as they always encourage me to keep writing :)


	4. Girls' Night Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You and Mako are my friends, and in the end, I just want you two to be happy.” 
> 
> Korra stayed silent for a few moments. From her peripheral vision, Asami could tell the Avatar was trying to find the right words, and it warmed Asami to know how considerate she was of her feelings. However, when she finally spoke, it was not at all what Asami had expected.
> 
> “I don’t know what to say except...I want you to be happy too.”
> 
> Asami’s chest constricted painfully at this, and overwhelmed by Korra’s sincerity, Asami almost let a dangerous sentence slip from her mouth.
> 
> I am happy when I’m with you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DATE BUT IT'S NOT A DATE CHAPTER IS HERE
> 
> I'm sooo sorry it took me so long. I actually had it 85% written out by mid-October, but I got super sidetracked with school, and I didn't get a chance to finish it up until now. As an apology for the long wait time, I made it extra long :3
> 
> Enjoy these 6,200+ words of fluff!
> 
> Also, I'm changing up my chapter summaries so they read the cutesiest blurbs of each chapter as clickbait 🙃

_ Ten...Eleven..Twelve. Seriously?! _

“Just how many gates did she set on fire?” Asami thought aloud as she paced around the 2,000 year-old relics. How an inanimate object had managed to get on Korra’s bad side, Asami could only imagine. 

Orange and purple hues lit the sky. A cool breeze billowed by, tussling her raven locks and sending a shiver along her skin. Maybe it was the Fire Nation in her, but Asami could not for the life of her tolerate the cold. As the sun creeped towards the horizon, Asami grew more and more anxious for Korra to arrive.

Per habit, Asami had arrived exactly ten minutes before six, the time Korra had instructed her to meet at the training arena on Air Temple Island. By now, it must’ve been a few minutes past the hour, and the Avatar was nowhere in sight. In an attempt to quell her rising anxiety that Korra may not show up at all, Asami had busied herself studying the rotating gates. However, what she had intended to be a quick scan of Air Nomad woodwork turned into a rather extensive damage inspection.

_ Test crashing Satomobiles is one thing, but setting these gates on fire is— _

“Asami, sorry I’m late!” 

Glancing over her shoulder, Asami saw Korra jogging towards her, a pair of focus pads under her left arm and two pairs of boxing gloves in her right. Once she reached the gates, she set the sparring equipment in front of Asami.

_ Of course. _

What else did Asami expect? It was silly of her to think any activity Korra had planned out did  _ not _ involve punching things, let alone hope for a slow-paced, relaxing night out.

“You wouldn’t believe how long it took me to find these,” Korra huffed as she began strapping on a focus mit. Only after it was secured did Korra notice Asami’s confused expression.

“Is everything okay?” Korra asked, cocking her head slightly.

“Oh, no, it’s just I, uh, didn’t expect to be sparring, otherwise I would’ve worn workout clothes.” Asami hoped Korra bought the lame excuse. Truthfully, the prospect of close quarters combat with Korra made her feel...self-conscious. She had seen Korra in action before. The teen was truly a force of nature, one Asami was unsure she could compete with.

“Come on, you never had a problem taking down chi-blockers in that outfit before.” Korra flashed a gentle smile. Asami watched as the waterbender offered her a pair of gloves. “Besides, I know you’ve been wanting to punch me for a while now, so here’s your chance.”

The corner of her lips lifted into a smirk.

_ I guess she’s not as dense as I thought. _

* * *

_ Left hook, cross...Dammit, can’t reach. Maybe if I feign and go for a body shot _ —

“Ow!” Korra yelped as a fist met her face.

“Oh my gosh! Are you okay?” Asami squeaked before recoiling her arm. 

Korra rubbed her jaw as she stumbled backwards. She was pretty sure she had heard her it  _ pop _ , but it wasn’t broken, which meant she could continue what had quickly become a one-sided sparring session. 

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Korra reassured Asami. The engineer’s nerves seemed to settle at this, and she nodded in response.

The two girls tapped gloves and retreated to their starting lines. After three seconds, Korra launched forward in an attempt to jab Asami—only for the nonbender to slip to the outside her punch. Not wasting a moment, Asami struck Korra in the face with an open palm, driving her backwards as she simultaneously swept the Avatar’s leg.

Midway in her fall, Korra managed to pull Asami’s arm off, freeing herself from the engineer’s grip. As soon as Korra hit the floor, she back-rolled into an upright fighting stance—but by the time she regained her bearings, Asami was charging at her at full speed. Fearing the nonbender may leap over her head, Korra shifted her weight onto her left leg and kicked her right one up towards the sky. 

That, however, proved to be another mistake. 

Asami adeptly changed course at the last second. Instead of pouncing, Asami sunk into the ground before springing towards Korra, grabbing hold of her leg from below, and driving forward. Korra quickly lost her balance as Asami plowed through her center, and for the umpteenth time, she hit the floor with a  _ thud. _

“Nice job,” Korra groaned as she sat up. 

Asami offered her hand in a show of sportsmanship. Not wanting to come off as rude (again), Korra clasped it, and in one swift motion, Asami pulled her to her feet.  _ She’s stronger than she looks _ , Korra thought. Then again, Asami had been full of surprises today.

Although Korra had always known her hand-to-hand combat was comparatively weak, she hadn’t expected to be tossed around like a ragdoll. Thanks to her battle with Amon, Korra had realized that she was far too reliant on her bending. Not knowing how many chi blockers and Equalist sympathizers remained at large, she had begun incorporating bare-fist drills into her daily routines.

However, her technique was still sloppy. She was a poor judge of distance and timing. Asami, on the other hand, was nothing short of grace. Her movements were smooth yet powerful, supple yet effective. While Korra hesitated to close the distance between her and her opponent, Asami had no trouble charging in and taking control. 

“You know, I’m really glad you suggested this,” Asami said as she tied her hair back, “I can’t remember the last time I sparred.” Unintentionally, Korra’s eyes followed Asami’s form up, cautiously admiring the engineer. 

_ Even when she’s drenched in sweat, she still looks good _ .

“I’m glad you’re having fun. You’re really good at sparring.” Korra tried to hide the disappointment in her tone, but Asami was far too perceptive. 

“It’s not uncommon for benders to get so caught up in their art that they forget the basics of hand-to-hand combat.” Korra felt Asami’s gaze land on her. The engineer was trying to read the Avatar’s expression, aware of the dangerous waters she was treading. “Did you want to practice it because of Amon?”

Upon hearing that name, Korra instinctively held in her breath. Asami seemed to notice because she then frantically tried to salvage the situation.

“I’m sorry! I should’ve known that was a sensitive topic.”

“No, it’s fine.” Korra stared at the ground, speaking softly as she admitted the truth. “The answer is yes, and as you can probably tell, I’ve definitely forgotten a lot.”

“But I bet you could relearn it easily! And once you get your basics down, you’ll be unstoppable. I could teach you what I know—if you want, that is!” 

It was almost cute how Asami became so flustered pointing out Korra’s shortcomings. Truthfully, Korra had never had the best relationship with constructive criticism. All her life, the White Lotus masters had done nothing but question her abilities, scold her behavior, and compare her to Aang—make her feel as though she could never measure up as an Avatar. Asami, however, had done the opposite. Even when Asami barely knew the Avatar, the nonbender had told her she was “amazing” and believed in her when the adults didn’t. If there was anyone Korra had to get—in fact,  _ wanted _ to get critiqued by—it was Asami.

Thinking about that day, Korra turned towards the engineer and bowed. “Well then,” Korra said with a cheeky grin, “show me how it’s done, master.” 

At this, Asami’s emerald eyes lit up, brighter than they had in several months. The real Asami, the fierce yet gentle fighter that Korra had come to respect and even envy, was coming back to life.

“First off, you want to keep close to the ground and avoid any high kicks,” Asami explained as she got into a horse stance. After a few seconds, Korra realized she wanted her to mimic the motion and complied. “They look fancy in a controlled setting, but they’re practically impossible to pull off in real life.”

“Wait, but don’t you do flying scissor kicks all the time?” Korra pointed out.

A faint blush colored Asami’s cheeks. “W-well that’s because I’ve been training it for a very long time,” she stammered.

Korra had to suppress her own chuckle.  _ Only Asami could possibly be embarrassed by her own skill.  _ Korra, on the other hand, would have been challenging people left and right, unabashedly flaunting her abilities to anyone who passed. 

_ Or maybe that’s exactly what’s going on, _ Korra realized before smiling devilishly.

“Or,” Korra began as she wiggled her eyebrow, “maybe you just like to show off.” 

At this mention, Asami’s normally mellow expression shattered, and her face turned nearly as crimson as her lipstick.  _ Bingo!  _ Korra cheered silently. 

“I do not! It just catches opponents off guard because—”

“Asami, relax,” Korra said as she nudged Asami’s arm gently, “I’m just teasing you.” 

Asami opened her mouth, but words failed to materialize. After a few moments of silence, she cleared her throat. 

“Okay, maybe I do like flaunting that move a little,” Asami admitted sheepishly.

The bender smirked at this. Despite sharing the “Sato” name or maybe because of it, Asami avoided the spotlight as much as she could. Whether it be at a gala or a family dinner, Asami always stuck to the sidelines, listening intently and chiming in only when addressed. However, it appeared that the soft-spoken socialite had a competitive side too, one that Korra could relate to. 

“Well, I don’t blame you,” Korra chuckled, “you do look pretty awesome doing it.” 

Her stomach flipped once she realized what she had uttered, and Asami apparently wasn’t handling it much better. 

“Erm, thanks,” Asami responded awkwardly as she averted Korra’s gaze. “Now let’s get back to the drill. Repeat after me...”

* * *

Asami dabbed the sweat on her forehead before folding and inserting her handkerchief back into her breast pocket. Walking in tow, Korra haphazardly tossed their sparring gear into a shed, then with her airbending, slammed the doors shut. 

Given these little habits, it was no surprise Korra underperformed in her hand-to-hand combat. At some point, every nonbender grew jealous of the ability to telepathically manipulate the elements. Eventually, that jealousy fizzled to annoyance at benders’ tendencies to take the easy way out of daily tasks. However, as empowering (and cathartic) as it may have felt to best the Avatar repeatedly, in the end, Asami genuinely hoped Korra found her advice helpful and their session enjoyable enough to train again.

A seagull’s loud squawk snapped Asami out of her thoughts. Only then did she notice that the two had arrived at the docks, where, to Asami’s surprise, two jet skis were moored. 

“You have no idea how many ropes I had to pull to get two White Lotus guards to lend me these.” Korra placed her hands on her hips and gazed down at the watercrafts triumphantly. “Luckily, Bolin was able to sneak me tickets to the Rabaroo’s match this weekend, and that’s their favorite team.” 

Korra jumped off the boardwalk and landed on a jet ski with a  _ plop _ , causing the watercraft to teeter a bit before stabilizing. 

“I’ll race you to Aang Memorial Island!” she exclaimed as she began untying the rope. However, after a few moments passed, Korra noticed something was amiss. 

Glancing up at Asami, Korra asked, “Is everything okay?”

Now, it was Asami’s turn to be embarrassed. Rubbing her arm, she took a deep breath and braced herself for the upcoming blow to her industrialist ego.

“I...don’t know how to drive a jet ski.”

Korra stared at her incredulously, which only exacerbated her growing self-consciousness. “You’re kidding me! I assumed you knew how to drive anything with a motor on it.”

“One, Future Industries doesn’t have a watercraft division, and two, I’m more surprised you know given how you parked a car into a pole.”

“Hey, there aren’t any roads to drive cars on in the Southern Water Tribe!” Korra retorted as she flailed her arms in emphasis. “We have snow, ice, and water, so I can do snowmobiles, boats, and yes, jet skis.”

Korra’s frown soon turned into a pout, and Asami struggled to suppress her giggle. While some may have found Korra’s “thin-skin” immature, Asami couldn’t help but find it somewhat amusing and, dare she say, endearing. 

“Alright, Avatar. I’ll give you a chance to impress me,” Asami teased as she placed a hand on her hip playfully.

Rolling her eyes, Korra let a “pfft” escape as she fastened the ropes to the jet ski. 

“Well, since you don’t know how to drive, you might as well hop on mine and hang onto me.”

_ What. _

Asami prayed she didn’t look as flustered as she felt, and she wondered if Korra had intentionally said that to disorient her. Just yesterday morning, they hadn’t even been on speaking terms. Now, the two seemed caught in a cat-and-mouse game of embarrassing each other through jests and compliments alike, a game that neither could fully comprehend. 

Asami gave a quick nod before hopping onto the watercraft.

As soon as she settled into the seat, her heart picked up pace. With her body flush against that of Korra’s, Korra’s earthy scent tingling her nose, and her arms wrapped tightly around Korra’s toned abdomen, what was supposed to be a platonic position felt unusually intimate. 

Luckily, the sputtering of the engine pulled Asami back to reality. 

Korra glanced over her shoulder and winked.

“Hang on.”

“Wha— _ AHHH! _ ”

In less than a second, the two were flying across the bay!

Caught off guard, Asami’s heart nearly leaped out of her mouth, and she clung onto Korra because her life  _ literally _ depended on it. What Asami had hoped would be a smooth cruise across Yue Bay currently felt like racing a satomobile across a field of rocks. She could barely keep her eyes peeled open with the barrage of saltwater flying into her face. With what few glances she was able to get of her surroundings, she could not pinpoint their exact location because every ship, buoy, and landmark were nothing but fleeting blurs.

“Korra!” Asami yelled, hoping she could hear over the roaring wind. “This is w-ay too fa-ast!” Asami screamed as they skipped across the rough surface. 

Korra looked back, visibly surprised by Asami’s frightened look. Her sympathetic reaction gave Asami the false hope she would do the logical thing: slow down. 

But logical was the last thing Korra was.

“Trust me,” she mouthed.

Korra let go of the right handle.

_ Oh no. _

Asami watched in horror as Korra entered the Avatar state and began bending the water.

A wave began forming beneath them, accumulating height as they propelled forward. Within seconds, they were thirty feet off the bay’s surface, and Asami found herself simultaneously in awe of Korra’s prowess and terrified for her life.

“Don’t let go!” Korra shouted.

In one swift motion, the Avatar clenched her fingers and thrust her hand backwards.

Like a cannonball, they were shot through the air.

When they lost contact with the water, Asami shut her eyes and braced for a crash landing. Her heart was pounding so hard it was almost all she could hear.

Almost.

Somehow, in the midst of her panic, Korra’s baritone voice managed to cut through the noise.

The younger girl was shouting, no, howling—as if she were a wild animal finally set free after years of captivity. Unlike herself, Korra’s body had no tension in it. Feeling how relaxed the teen was, Asami dared to open her eyes. Although she could only see the back of the bender’s head, she was sure Korra was grinning from ear to ear.

She was uninhibited, unrestrained. 

She had an intensity about her that Asami envied because it was one Asami once possessed herself, one that she had recently lost sight of.

With that realization, Asami let out the breath she had been holding in. She lifted her head so that it was no longer buried between Korra’s shoulder blades. For the first time, she truly took in the world around her. 

Directly above her, a flock of seabirds were gliding the wind. On the water below her, a seemingly endless ray of light stretched towards the setting sun on the horizon. Yue Bay had never looked so stunning, so majestic as it did in that moment. With endless sky above them and fathoms of abyss beneath them, it was as if they were caught between heaven and earth. 

There was something fundamentally liberating about being airborne. Asami wondered if this was what it felt like to be an airbender and made a mental note to ask Korra, if possible, to take her on a glider ride.

A few feet before they hit the water, Korra thrust both hands above her head, summoning a small wave to catch them. Although it cushioned their landing, it was by no means smooth. The momentum caused Asami to ram into Korra, knocking her over and driving her chest into the handlebar.

“Ow!” Korra choked out as she regained control of the jet ski.

“Serves you right for nearly sending me to the spirit world!” Asami laughed. Now, she was the one grinning stupidly. The speed they were currently cruising at was nothing in comparison to the thirty seconds of horror-turned-beauty she had just endured.

“Oh please, don’t act like you didn’t enjoy it!” Korra quipped as she rolled her eyes. 

The second time she spoke, it was softer. 

“This was one of the few things I was allowed to do for fun back when I was living in the compound.”

Asami hummed in response. She understood what Korra meant perfectly and suspected that’s why Korra had confided this to her as well. No further words needed to be exchanged. With their adrenaline rush fading, both were content to lean back and enjoy the feeling of the wind in their faces, as they approached Aang Memorial Island. 

Ten minutes later, they finally reached their destination. 

Once Korra parked the jet ski by the dock, she boosted Asami onto the platform, then began mooring the watercraft. 

As Korra tied the jet ski to the wooden post, Asami scanned her surroundings. Asami estimated they had a good thirty minutes before the sun would set completely and darken the sky to a deep grayish-blue. The dock faced the backside of the 100 meter marble statue, which cast a long shadow over the two girls. 

_ It’s been twelve years, _ Asami thought solemnly.

Truthfully, Asami wasn’t elated at the prospect of coming to Aang Memorial Island. When her family was whole, their weekend routine was to take a private cruise along Yue Bay and watch the sunset on the island. The young Asami had taken a particular liking to the Avatar museum. She would spend hours plastered to every plaque and pendant, so much so that Yasuko practically had to pry her away from the exhibits. After her mother was killed, the island became too painful to visit for Hiroshi, and Asami had not returned since. 

“You okay, Asami?” 

Asami turned to find Korra staring at her, a hint of concern dusting her features. 

“I’m fine,” Asami replied, “I just haven’t been here in a long time.”

“I guess you’re never a tourist in your own city, huh?” Korra yanked the rope hard, securing the knot in place before dusting off her hands. “I bet a lot’s changed since then.” 

“It sure has,” Asami whispered back. The comment was an innocent but powerful reminder of what she had been drilling into herself over the past three months.  _ No matter how different things may be, I need to make the most out of what I have now _ . 

Now was not the time to mourn over her childhood memories. Just as she had with the Sato Mansion, Asami needed to create  _ new  _ memories, new associations with the places her father had tainted. When it came to Aang Memorial Island, who better to do that with than his new incarnation?

There was a loud  _ grumble _ .

Korra’s cheeks turned a faint pink, and Asami couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight. “And I thought I was hungry,” Asami teased. Korra scratched the back of her head, a nervous tic the older girl had picked up on. 

“So what are we doing for dinner?” Asami asked, genuinely curious.

“I actually took care of that already.” Korra lifted the seat of the jet ski to reveal a compartment inside, from which she removed a tightly wrapped bag. “Hopefully it didn’t get too shaken up during the ride here.” 

The surprise on Asami’s face must have been amusing because it caused the Avatar to grin cheekily. 

“Come on,” Korra said as she walked past the engineer and towards the front of the island. 

After recovering from her initial shock, Asami followed suit. 

The two eventually settled on the floor, directly beneath Aang’s outstretched arm. As Korra unpacked their meal, Asami wondered what it felt like to have Aang’s presence constantly hovering over her. Although Korra’s responsibilities dwarfed those of Asami’s, the young CEO found a little comfort knowing that the adolescent beside her also understood the monumental pressure of maintaining a legacy. 

“Here you go,” Korra said as she handed a paper box to Asami.

Once she had it in her hands, Asami inspected the box. The contents smelled oddly familiar. Upon seeing the red characters imprinted on the side, Asami’s jaw dropped.

“You ordered takeout from Kwong’s Cuisine?” Asami looked at Korra, dumbfounded.  _ Who even orders carryout from a place like Kwong’s?  _

“I wasn’t sure what else you liked, so I thought this would be the safe option,” Korra explained as she split her chopsticks.

“Well, you’re not wrong. It is one of my favorite places,” Asami admitted. She opened the box and to her surprise yet again, it was her favorite dish: roasted komodo chicken with lychee nuts and braised cabbage. But how did Korra even know? And more importantly, how did she even  _ pay _ for this? 

“You didn’t happen to use your Avatar status to get a free meal, did you?”

“Of course not! Lin made that much clear, believe me.” Korra pouted at what Asami assumed was the memory of a previous encounter with the police chief. As she placed a canteen of water between them, Korra elaborated, “You remember how meat-based the Water Tribe diet is, right?”

“Yep.” How could she not? During her last trip to the Southern Water Tribe, Asami managed to pack on a couple pounds just from a week’s worth of blubber whale steaks, and it took even longer for her mouth to forget the taste. 

“Well, after about a month on Air Temple Island, I couldn’t take vegetarianism anymore,” Korra explained as she took a bite of meat for emphasis. “Tenzin wouldn’t let me buy meat even when I went out since it was with the Air Nation’s money, so I convinced my parents to send me a monthly allowance—along with a ten pound bag of blubbered seal jerky that I stashed under my bed.” 

This elicited a chuckle from Asami. Korra was never a stickler for the rules, and she couldn’t see the Avatar as anything less than stubborn when it came to filling her stomach. 

“Why am I not surprised about the seal jerky?” Asami laughed.

“Hey, I’ve been away from home for a long time! Anyways...Back to Kwong’s, I basically cashed out my month’s allowance on dinner.” Korra said nonchalantly. 

“You what?! Korra, I know Future Industries hasn’t been so hot lately, but I still have an inheritance. Here, let me pay you—”

“Asami, it’s okay!” Korra grabbed Asami’s wrist, stopping her hand before it reached her pocket. Asami turned her head, and as soon as emerald eyes locked with sapphire orbs, her breath stopped. Korra wanted her to listen and listen intently. “You’re always taking care of us when we go out. Let us, or let me, take care of you for once.”

The words struck a chord in Asami. 

It was oddly similar to what Tenzin and Pema had been trying to do for months. That’s why Pema always made sure to pack Asami extra meals to take home after dinner. That’s why Tenzin had protested her returning to the mansion so soon. That’s why Bolin popped by her home once a week to take care of her house chores while she played with Pabu. All this time, Asami thought she had been left to fend for herself, but in reality...

_ I’m not alone. _

Asami suddenly felt more at ease. The tension she had carried for months dissipated within a matter of seconds. When Asami moved her hand away from her pocket, Korra let go, relieved to have gotten through to her.

For the next few minutes, Asami watched the Avatar hungrily devour her meal, stuffing her mouth full before inhaling with a loud  _ gulp. _ At the sight, Asami was suddenly glad they hadn’t dined in. Not only did Kwong’s have zero tolerance for such unrefined behavior, there was also something relaxing about this too. This was the first dinner Asami had eaten from Kwong’s that didn’t involve the uncomfortable dresses, the drab banter, or the million rules of etiquette young women were held to. Silly as they may have looked, eating fine-cuisine out of cheap takeout boxes on a concrete floor, without the formalities, Asami could focus on enjoying her meal. How Korra could reinvent something so mundane for Asami boggled her and left her hungry for more.

“You know, I was kinda skeptical at first, but this komodo chicken is great!” Korra belched and covered her mouth immediately, earning a snicker from Asami.  _ She really is cute when she’s embarrassed. _

“Relax, Avatar, just because I’m prissy doesn’t mean you have to be.” Asami took a bite of the chicken, waiting until she swallowed to speak again. “I’m glad you liked it, though I am a bit surprised you didn’t go for the arctic hen.”

Korra let out a “pfft,” sending a few grains of rice flying from her mouth. Covering her half-filled mouth with a hand, Korra responded in a muffled voice. “No way! Their ‘authentic’ Water Tribe section is all fusion. They literally put  _ berry compote _ on the hen. Berries don’t grow in the tundra!” 

“Ha! For someone who represents all four nations, you sure are segregationist about your food.”

“Only because I know what  _ real _ Water Tribe grub is supposed to taste like. I couldn’t care less whether some chef throws sea slug into jook while he’s high on cactus juice,” Korra joked back, gesturing wildly with her hands.

“Okay, now I feel insulted.” Asami watched Korra stare at her quizzically before both bursted into laughter. After regaining enough composure to breathe again, Asami wiped away a tear and waited for Korra’s fit to die down as well.

“I’m just relieved you liked it,” Korra confessed as she picked at the last scraps of her food, “Mako told me this is what you ordered the last time you went, so I just went with it.”

Upon uttering the firebender’s name, the world seemed to halt. The familiar and unwanted tension between them arose yet again, and Korra began to panic. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s fine, Korra,” Asami cut in. Forcing herself to maintain eye contact, Asami took a deep breath. “In all honesty, if Mako had to end up with someone else, I’m glad it’s you.”

Korra’s eyes widened at her response.

“You..You mean it?” Korra cocked her head slightly to the side, as if trying to discern any hints of deception on Asami’s face. The intensity at which the Avatar examined her facial expression caused heat to crawl up her neck.

“Of course!” Asami exclaimed, trying to distract herself from her own flustered state. “It stung at first, but I’m over it now, and I definitely don’t want this to come between us.”

Korra blinked once. Then twice in what was becoming the longest moment of Asami’s life. 

“Thanks, Asami,” Korra said, her voice barely above a whisper. Scratching the side of her head with her index finger, Korra struggled to piece together her thoughts. “I guess part of me is still in a little shock. Most people wouldn’t be so okay with this.”

‘Well, we’re not like most people,” Asami chuckled. She leaned back on her hands.“You two are my friends, and in the end, I just want you to be happy.” 

That much she meant.

Korra stayed silent for a few moments. From her peripheral vision, Asami could tell the Avatar was trying to find the right words, and it warmed Asami to know how considerate she was of her feelings. However, when she finally spoke, it was not at all what Asami had expected.

“I don’t know what to say except...I want you to be happy too.”

Asami’s chest constricted painfully at this, and overwhelmed by Korra’s sincerity, Asami almost let a dangerous sentence slip from her mouth.

_ I am happy when I’m with you _ . 

Asami managed to stop the words before they rolled off her tongue. 

Mortified by her own thoughts, Asami reprimanded herself silently.  _ What in the world are you thinking? _

Asami managed to whisper “thank you,” successfully masking the panic that bellied her response. Once the younger girl turned her attention away from Asami and to the scenery around them, Asami returned to the question plaguing her mind.

_ Why? _

Why would she even  _ think _ to say something like that? Surely, she knew how Korra could’ve interpreted that response, how it could’ve derailed the progress they had made in the past day. It was too intimate, too impulsive, too emotional!

And yet...Asami wanted to say it nonetheless.

Because that was how she truly felt, how Korra  _ made _ her feel. Indeed, her friend brought out this side of her, one that her social standing had long forced her to suppress. Korra, on the other hand, unabashedly trampled over every gender norm. She reminded Asami that it was okay to be wild, to be passionate—to be intense. In fact, the Water Tribe native gave Asami something that she had not experienced for a long time, something she had taken for granted.

Fun.

As Asami’s eyes darted between Yue Bay and the blue-vested girl beside her, she finally let Tenzin, Pema, Bolin, and her assistants’ words sink in. Asami was not a machine. She was a human being with needs of her own. If she wanted to help the Avatar restore balance to the world, she needed to restore balance within herself first. 

Like the fighter she was, Asami would do just that.

No more all-nighters, no more days without eating, no more exhaustion-induced tantrums, no more obsessing over who thought what of her or her family. Asami Sato was going to become the United Republic’s youngest, most successful CEO. She was going to save Future Industries, usher Republic City into a new technological era, and help the Avatar save the world from calamity. 

And the naysayers would just have to deal with it.

“I have to admit,” Korra spoke up, breaking Asami from her trance, “sunsets here are way prettier than in the Southern Water Tribe.”

Asami had been so engrossed in her own thoughts she hadn’t noticed the sun had set, and the sky was now tinted a purple haze. A light gust billowed by, and Asami cursed the chilliness of the water. 

“As much as I’d love to stay away from Tenzin, we gotta get you back to the island before the ferry leaves.” Korra stood up and offered Asami a hand, which Asami took without hesitation. Effortlessly, Korra pulled Asami to her feet.

The two teens followed the same path back to the jetski, now illuminated only by dim lamps which cast a yellowish shadow over them. They walked without saying a word, a feat that mere hours ago, would have been disquieting to both of them. 

Once the two reached the jetski, Korra hopped in first, offering to let Asami take control. Asami lowered herself onto the front of the seat. As Korra instructed her on jet ski basics, Asami’s stomach began to flutter around the prospect of Korra wrapping her arms around her.

After Korra untied and secured the rope onboard, Asami inserted the key into the ignition and turned right. She let the engine rumble for a few moments before placing both hands on the handles and pulling down on the throttle. As soon as she heard the engine sputter, they were off.

On the way back, Asami elected a slower pace, and Korra didn’t seem to mind. It was an unusual change of pace for the both of them. Whether it was to enjoy the view before them or each other’s presence a little longer, Asami wasn’t sure. Asami briefly allowed her eyes to glance to the sky. A gray haze coated the night sky, hiding any stars behind its misty blanket.

Asami sighed, catching Korra’s attention.

“Everything alright?” Korra asked.

“Yeah, it’s just a starry sky would’ve been a perfect addition to this night, but there’s just too much light pollution,” Asami lamented.

Korra shifted in her seat, and Asami tried to ignore the fluttering in her stomach at the feeling of Korra’s fingertips grazing along her waist.

_ Why? _

“One of my favorite places in the South Pole is this secluded snowy cliff.” Korra’s warm breath tickled Asami’s neck, sending shivers down her spine.

_ Why? _

“It’s about a twenty-minute ride on Naga from my parent’s home, and it’s just far enough from any settlements you can get a full view of the night sky. Except during blizzards, you can see thousands of stars, all at once. And when the aurora happens in the summer...it’s probably the one thing I miss about that place.”

Her nostalgia was palpable. Korra always wore her emotions on her sleeve, but there was something different about this statement. From the solemn way she spoke, Asami couldn’t help but think, or perhaps hope, that the tomboyish teen was confiding in her, letting her into a space that she hadn’t let others into.

However nervous Asami may have been, she wanted to step inside.

“That sounds amazing...Do you think we could go there sometime?”

Korra didn’t reply right away, instead, taking a few moments to contemplate the request. In the ensuing silence, Asami prayed she hadn’t overstepped her boundaries.

“You know what? That’d be nice. When we go to the Glacier Spirits Festival, I’ll take you there. Just don’t tell the boys. It’s kinda my secret spot, and they’d feel bad if they couldn’t come.”

“Of course,” Asami managed to force out as her mind reeled.

_ Don’t tell the boys? As in Mako too?  _ Mako was her boyfriend, the person Korra was to be vulnerable around, to share such intimacy with—not Asami. Maybe it was just because they were both girls. Girls were supposed to be more open with each, right? But their relationship was too new, too fresh for that line of logic to hold. Which brought Asami back to that infuriating question.

_ Why? _

Barring the occasional pointers Korra would give on her driving, the two sat in a silence for the remainder of the ride. All the while, Asami tried to push these confusing questions and feelings out of her mind. Instead, she told herself to just be grateful for the significant stride they had made towards friendship today. At least for now, that was enough.

By the time they reached Air Temple Island, the ferry, along with the two White Lotus sentries, were already waiting for them. Judging by the scowl on their faces, they were noticeably irritated by the girls’ tardiness. After returning the watercrafts to the sentries, Korra bade Asami farewell, but Asami wasn’t finished yet.

“I had a really fun time tonight,” Asami said, struggling to keep her voice steady.

“Me too. I’ve never done this before, but this was nice.” Korra flashed a crooked smile, and Asami had to look away to prevent becoming too distracted and forgetting the big question on her mind.

Quietly, she took a deep breath.

“Would you want to do this again? I’m free next weekend.” 

Korra did not miss a beat.

“Yeah, that sounds great! It’s a date.”

As soon as the words escaped her mouth, Korra turned beet red, and Asami's brain short-circuited as well. 

The two responded at the same time, each taking a step forward as they blurted out:

“I didn’t mean it like—”

“No, I understand—”

However, this wasn’t a matter the universe wanted them to settle themselves.

“ _ Miss Sato, _ with all due respect, the crew and I have been waiting for nearly an hour,” the captain aboard the ferry butt in, “we would rest easier if we got you home sooner rather than late.” 

_ Of course.  _ Asami rolled her eyes while Korra silently blew raspberries at the air acolyte. The childish action elicited a chuckle out of Asami, who finally ended their conversation.

“Good night, Korra.”

“Night, Asami.” 

Asami wanted to hug her newfound friend goodbye, but the crew was impatient and she had pushed enough boundaries as it was. Instead, she gave a small wave before boarding the ferry. As she ascended up the plank, she felt Korra’s eyes follow her, boring into her back, making it clear that Asami would not so easily escape that question she had been struggling to answer all night.

_ Why? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **EDIT: I'm debating on whether the next chapter should start at "The Sting" (B2E6) where the Love Triangle flares up again or start at "Rebel Spirit" (B2E1) at the Glacier Spirits Festival. I have actual substantive ideas for the former cuz it'll be my attempt to make Asami getting back together with Mako make somewhat sense, whereas the latter would mostly be filler fluff and p short. Let me know your thoughts below!***
> 
> Sooo what did y'all think? I hope it wasn't too corny lol
> 
> I hope y'all enjoyed that little reference to the first ep. of ATLA, where Katara tells the village Aang brought them something they hadn't had in a long time: fun.  
> Also, that little jet ski flying moment was inspired by Romantic Flight from HTTYD. Ik, I'm a huge sap! 
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts. Constructive criticism is always good! I really wanted to make this chapter good b/c it's such a pivotal development in their relationship, so I'm happy to go back and edit anything that blatantly sucks. 
> 
> Anywhoo, we're officially done with Book 1, and next chapter will be set in beginning of Book 2. As I said before, I look forward to trying to make sense of the clusterfuck that Pridebarry (YouTuber) called the "Bermuda love triangle"


	5. Rekindling an Old Flame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY X-MAS EVERYBODY! I know holidays this year aren't what they used to be, so I hope this can brighten your mood while you're in quarantine. 
> 
> I decided against writing a fluffy chapter set early in Book 2 cuz it would've just been a repeat of the other moments earlier in this fanfic. I may go back and write it after I'm done with the rest of this fic, but for now, I'm skipping straight into the love triangle.
> 
> Disclaimer: I didn't deviate from the canon, but I did add a subplot to it. As I said before, this is my attempt to make somewhat sense of the love triangle in Book 2. Since Asami and Korra have already become friends and feelings have started to form in this story, I felt that there needed to be stronger reason Asami got back together with Mako beyond lingering feelings. This chapter is meant to explore her conflicting feelings, so there is much ANGST. 
> 
> This chapter takes place around B2E6-9. It starts at "The Sting" which is when Asami gets robbed and ends on "The Guide" which is when Mako gets arrested. Please enjoy!

Asami turned in bed for the hundredth time tonight. She didn’t bother to check the clock on her nightstand. Knowing the ungodly hour would do little to alleviate her inner turmoil. Through the darkness, Asami stared at the ceiling and sighed.

“How could I let this happen?” She pondered out loud.

This morning, she had awoken to news of an attack on a cargo ship headed south. Fearing the same fate lay in store for her, she and Mako had devised a plan, hoping they could catch the perpetrator with the help of the Triple Threats. In hindsight, it was utterly foolish, and Asami had learned that the hard way.

When Asami walked into the empty warehouse, it was as if a piece of her soul had been ripped out. Future Industries was all she had left of her family. She couldn’t bring her mother back from the dead, nor could she erase her father’s sins. The one thing she thought she could do, however, was save their legacy. For the past six months, she had worked tirelessly to bring Future Industries back from the brink of bankruptcy. In the end, her efforts weren’t enough. S _ he _ wasn’t good enough. 

In that moment of despair, there was one person who stood beside her, who refused to give up on her even when she had: Mako. Distraught over her loss and overwhelmed by his sincerity, Asami did the one thing she could think of to keep herself from breaking down in tears. 

She kissed him. 

Asami pulled the sheets over her chest. Although they were only together for a short period of time, her muscle memory was strong. His physical presence still calmed her. His kiss was like a lifeline, anchoring her to shore. No one had ever had such an effect on her. Well, no one except for...

“Korra,” she whispered to herself.

Asami fought back tears upon uttering that name. She tried not to think about the guilt that had consumed her all day long. She tried not to think about how she wanted Korra beside her, wanted her to comfort her the way she had on Air Temple Island. The more Asami was unable to push these thoughts out of her mind, the more frustrated she became.

“Where in the world have you been?” Asami growled as she turned onto her side. 

Steadying her breathing, Asami reflected on the promise Korra had made two days ago.

_ Korra hopped off Varrick’s yacht, with Asami following in tow. Although Asami contained her emotions better, she was as elated as Korra.  _

_ “Man, that Varrick really is a crazy genius! Before this meeting, I thought he was just crazy,” Korra chaffed. _

_ Asami hummed in response. She still clutched the same folders Korra had nearly knocked over earlier. _

_ “Hey, Korra.” The Avatar turned around, eyeing Asami curiously.  _

_ “I’m sorry if I came off as a bit brash when you bumped into me earlier,” Asami apologized, “I was just frustrated, but it had nothing to do with you.” _

_ That was only partly-true. Asami had left the South Pole disappointed in more ways than one. The two never made it to Korra’s snowy cliff to gaze at the stars. Asami had asked her day after day, but every night was a squabble with her father or a spiritual training session with Unalaq gone-overtime.  _

_ Then, in typical Team Avatar style, they accidentally started a civil war.  _

_ Asami knew she shouldn’t complain. There were so many bigger issues at hand. Despite that, she had let her disappointment bleed over into their subsequent interactions.  _

_ “Don’t worry about it.” Korra flashed her a sympathetic smile. “I know you’ve got a lot on your plate right now.” _

_ “At least Varrick’s idea has some real promise, even if the idea of selling my father’s weapons doesn’t sit completely well with me…” Asami trailed off. _

_ The Avatar took a few steps towards the CEO and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, at least it’s for a good cause this time. My home’s been invaded, and you’re helping liberate it.”  _

_ “Well, I can’t argue with that,” Asami conceded. _

_ The younger girl smiled briefly before her expression fell into a slight frown.  _

_ “By the way, I’m sorry for dragging you into all this political nonsense. I’m glad the civil war might help save your company, but I feel bad distracting you from your work too.” _

_ The statement touched Asami. Although Asami wouldn’t have hesitated to do it all over again, a little acknowledgement of both the personal and professional sacrifices she had made was appreciated. “Don’t worry, as long as there’s a Future Industries, it’ll always help Team Avatar.” _

_ “Well, I was wondering...what if Team Avatar helped Future Industries out for once?” _

_ Asami looked at Korra incredulously. “Huh? What do you mean?” _

_ “Right now, nobody wants to buy from you because you’re associated with the Equalists, right? Well, who else to vouch that you’re not an Equalist than the Avatar?” _

_ Asami was visibly taken aback by Korra’s suggestion.  _

_ “Korra, I can't ask you to use your Avatar status to help me make money,” Asami protested. _

_ “It’s not about that, Asami. I wouldn’t do this for any company.” Korra gripped her shoulder. “We owe you, so let me help Future Industries get back on its feet just this once. If you mess up after that, it’s all on you!” _

_ At the last sentence, Asami laughed. Korra’s humor always had a way of brightening her mood, no matter how dire the situation.  _

_ “It’s a deal!” Asami enthusiastically agreed.  _

_ And she already had an idea in mind. _

_ “Tomorrow, I have appointments at noon and one with two of Future Industries’ old buyers. If you could just be in the room with me before they start, as if we were having a meeting of our own, so when they walk in and see the Avatar and I are on good terms, then maybe they’ll agree to do business.” _

_ “Sounds like a plan.” _

_ “Thank you so much!” Asami shrieked as she embraced Korra. “I can’t tell you how important this is. If this works, I might be able to save my company without selling it to Varrick.”  _

_ “I won’t let that happen. You can count on me!”  _

But Asami couldn’t.

Korra didn’t show up for the first meeting or the second. Asami was so distraught over Korra’s absence she had let her game slip during the two meetings. With her negotiation skills compromised, and without the Avatar vouching for her character, Asami left the office that day with nothing but unsigned papers. 

Tears began streaming down her cheeks, soaking the fabric beneath her head. 

How foolish was she? To think the Avatar would take a break from negotiating with world leaders to stage fake meetings with a flailing CEO? To think the Avatar would put her duties to her home and the world on hold to save a company which, in most people’s opinion, deserved the fate it was facing? To think that Korra would put Asami’s needs first, even for one afternoon?

“You’re a complete idiot, Sato,” Asami admonished herself, her voice trembling as she did.

After the second appointment had ended, Asami had dialed Air Temple Island twice that day and heard nothing back. As if that weren’t disheartening enough, Mako later informed her that Korra had left town the day before. From that, Asami concluded that the Avatar was unable to sway President Raiko or the United Forces. 

Asami couldn’t fault Korra if she had to go, but how hard was it to give her a call or leave her a note? Didn’t her friend respect her enough to do that? Didn’t Korra care enough about Asami’s future to at least give Asami the chance to restrategize beforehand? 

Then, she could’ve had a fighting chance. Maybe then she wouldn’t have been so dependent on that final cargo shipment that got stolen. Maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t have been forced to sell a controlling number of shares to Varrick. She wouldn’t have been forced to accept what the Board of Directors had long told her: she was destined to be a failure. 

Perhaps it was her anger towards Korra for putting her in this impossible position that drove her into Mako’s arms. 

Was it wrong of her to kiss her friend’s ex-boyfriend only two days after they had broken up? Of course it was. 

But why should she care? It wasn’t like Korra had given her the same consideration while she and Mako were first dating. It wasn’t like Korra bothered to be here to protest this. It wasn’t like Korra cared enough about Asami’s feelings when it came to saving her company. Why should Asami care about something as minor as a squabble over a boy?

Asami was perfectly within her right to pursue Mako. This was what she wanted. She was happy with him, and she had nothing to feel guilty about.

At least that’s what she tried to tell herself.

* * *

In the week that followed, life in Republic City resumed, largely unfazed by neither the political nor spiritual conflict brewing in the south. The police had reassured the public that the Cultural Center attackers had been brought to justice and the security presence in the city heightened. President Raiko remained steadfast in his neutrality. Beyond pundit banter on the morning news, people talked little of the turbulent waters beyond their bay.

Negotiating an armistice wasn’t the job of a CEO, which meant Asami could go about her business, both professionally and privately. The day after the raid on her warehouse, she sold the majority of her shares to Varrick Global Industries. Even if it wasn’t the ideal outcome, at least Future Industries would live on, albeit as a shell company, and her family’s name wouldn’t be  _ completely _ tarnished. Consequently, work was scant this past week, as Varrick Industries management slowly took over what once was her’s. Having an utter lack of responsibility was disappointing in many ways, but the one upside was Asami had more time to devote to her “new” relationship.

After she handed her company over to Varrick, she had invited Mako over to her mansion. They not so much talked out all that had transpired between them so much as made out. The only semblance of an agreement they came to was that they wanted to “pick up where they left off” and “see how it goes.” 

Every night, after both got off at work, they had gone on a date. They had good conversations, shared a few laughs, and engaged in public displays of affection—everything they used to do. Despite knowing she was a skilled driver, Mako had taken it upon himself to provide Asami a “police escort” home every night. After walking her to her door, she would thank him for his chivalry and kiss him goodnight. 

However, as soon as the door closed, her thoughts would become consumed with one person.

And it wasn’t Mako.

As soon as the door shut, she would ask her Butler if she had missed any calls that day and more importantly, who they were from. Yet Korra never called, leaving Asami to go to bed, dejected.

Tonight was no different.

Asami lay in bed. It was a king-sized bed, embroidered with the finest, most colorful fabrics from around the world. It was too big for her alone, but she couldn’t bring herself to invite Mako’s to spend the night. As dismaying as it may have been for the firebender, Asami needed this time alone to reflect on the day that had been. 

  
  


_ Asami was polishing the hood of her Satomobile when she heard footsteps behind her.  _

_ “Hey, babe!” Mako called out. _

_ He wrapped his arms around her and spun her around to face him. She greeted him with a chaste kiss. _

_ “Hey, how was work?” Asami asked. _

_ “Threw a few Creeping Crystals in jail, filled out paperwork, got insulted by the two dingheads.” At the mention of Lu and Gang, Mako rolled his eyes. Unfortunately, Asami empathized all too well with the feeling of being condescended.  _

_ “Sounds like it’s been stressful. Good thing we’re about to take these two babies out for a spin!”  _

_ Asami hopped into her race car before Mako had a chance to respond. _

_ “I’ve been making some adjustments, and I think we can finally make those quick tur _ —”

_ “Asami,” Mako cut in, “I don’t, uh, really feel like racing.” _

_ His words hit her like a punch in the gut. _

_ “Why not? Don’t you want to let off some steam?”  _

_ Mako rubbed his neck in nervousness, a bad sign. “Sure I do, but it’s just that I spend my whole day on high speed chases. I guess I just get my steam out that way.” _

_ And what about Asami? She had been cooped up in stuffy meeting rooms all day, watching as people with an iota of the personal dedication and knowledge she had of Future Industries set its course. Didn’t she deserve her catharsis? Wasn’t the role of a romantic partner to help her to that end?  _

_ “I see.” Asami tried to hide the disappointment in her voice.  _

_ “Sorry, babe. Can’t we, I don’t know, just do something slow and relaxing today?”  _

_ His request was innocent enough, yet it took all Asami’s willpower to muster a nod of agreement and refrain from speaking her mind:  _ Korra would’ve loved to race around the track.

Asami felt a pang in her chest at the memory. No matter how strenuous Korra’s day may have been, she had never once turned down Asami’s request in the preceding months since they started hanging out regularly. Korra had always been content to “sit back and enjoy the ride” as Asami let off steam. However, this train of thought led Asami to one, very important question.

“Why are you comparing Mako to Korra?” Asami whispered to herself.

It hadn’t started off as a conscious decision. It just so happened that whenever Asami planned their date nights, she would naturally gravitate towards the activities that she enjoyed. Many of those activities were more appealing to the wild-mannered Avatar than her stoic boyfriend.

_ Asami walked back to the parked car, two bags of takeout in hand. In the vehicle, Mako was busy jotting down notes in his logbook. When he finally looked up, he looked confused _

_ “Are we eating at my place or something?” He asked as he eyed the takeout curiously. _

_ “It’s a nice day out. I thought we could take dinner to Republic City Park and have a little picnic.” Asami hoped that he would not object, but from the uneasy look in his face, she knew it would not be so. _

_ “I don’t like to eat in the park, especially on the ground...I’m sorry, Bolin and I spent a lot of nights there digging through the garbage cans.” Mako looked at her, his eyes pleading for forgiveness. _

_ “I understand.” How could she not? Mako couldn’t help it if he disliked the park. However, Asami couldn’t help thinking of someone who did. Someone who didn’t care where they ate as long as the food and company were good. Someone who preferred being out in nature because it made her feel more in tune with the four elements. Someone who would’ve told jokes with a mouth full of dumplings as her polar bear dog splashed in the streams of the park.  _

“Stop it, already.” Asami scolded herself.

Asami rubbed her face, as if it would help bring clarity to her thoughts. She conceded she may have intentionally chosen those activities today because those were the activities she and Korra would typically do on their girls’ night out—which happened to be today. 

It shouldn’t have been this hard to miss a weekly routine with a friend just once. It shouldn’t have been this hard to go several days without a call, knowing the caller’s duties to the world. 

But it was.

* * *

The next day, Asami headed to the brothers’ apartment. She had been restless all night, unable to stop thinking about her new relationship with Mako and how utterly unsatisfying it had been thus far. Asami stood outside Mako’s door and took a deep breath.  _ Make one last effort, one last time,  _ Asami vowed to herself.

She knocked.

Moments later, the firebender opened the door, looking visibly stressed.

“Hi,” Asami said as she walked inside.

“Did you come by to tell me how paranoid I am?” Earlier in the day, Mako had explained his theory of Varrick masterminding the Cultural Center and cargoship attacks, much to her and Bolin’s disbelief. 

Asami placed a hand on Mako’s shoulder. “No. I just wanted to come by to make sure you're okay. You seemed so agitated earlier.” However, at her own mention of the argument from earlier today, Bolin’s words echoed in her ears.

_ “Korra just left a week ago!” _

Asami bit her lip.  _ I know she did,  _ she responded silently. Fortunately, Mako was standing behind her and could not see her troubled expression. She heard Mako mutter “I’m fine,” then forced a smile before turning to face him.

“Maybe you need a night off. Why don't we go get some dinner?” Asami suggested.

_ But do you even want to get dinner with him?  _

Of course, she did! After all, they were dating again, even if that wasn’t what they had told Bolin earlier.

_ Yeah, you couldn’t tell him because you know this is wrong.  _ Asami never wanted her conscience to shut up as much as she did now.

“No, thanks. I’m a little busy.” Mako’s voice pulled her back to reality. 

_ Just one last attempt to make this work,  _ Asami reminded herself.

“Too busy for Kwong’s Cuisine?” Asami asked as she placed her hands on his chest. “Remember? We had our first date there.”

It could not have felt more different than how she felt now. Back then, she had been completely enamored with the dreamy firebender. She had thought he was perfect for her. Now, she was questioning what they had in common at all.

“Maybe I do need to get my mind off things,” Mako said as he pulled Asami in for a kiss.

Asami reciprocated, but mimicking a physical action was all she was doing. She met warm lips, yet they couldn’t taste more stale. Unfortunately, Mako didn’t seem to feel that way.

He pulled her in closer—deepening the kiss. 

It wasn't threatening, but it was the wake-up call she desperately needed, the moment of clarity that had come far too late. 

_ You don’t like him at all,  _ Asami confessed to herself.

Asami had wanted to believe that despite their breakup, their flame never went out. A few embers of their romance remained, enough that they could rekindle the fire and let it grow to its full potential. Yet Asami wasn’t enveloped in fiery passion at all. All Asami had been attempting to do was to drown out everything else—her doubts, her guilt, and most of all, her confusing feelings for Korra. 

Subconsciously, she knew her and Mako’s fire had long been extinguished. She didn’t kiss him that night out of desire for him. She was dating him to distract her from Korra and, as ashamed as she was to admit it, to hurt Korra in return for hurting her. In the process, she had led Mako on—the same way he had originally led her on.

_ You’re a horrible person,  _ Asami reprimanded herself. Guilt washed over her, making her sick to her stomach.  _ You can’t take back the awful things you’ve already done, but you can make things right now. _

Asami began to pull away from the kiss, but before she could, someone banged on the door.

“Police!” A throaty voice yelled.

_ This can’t be good,  _ Asami thought immediately.

Mako opened the door to find Lin, Lu, and Gang on the other side. From the smug grin on Lu and Gang’s face, Asami knew something was wrong. She watched in disbelief as the Chief of Police accused Mako of conspiring with the Triple Threats to steal Future Industries’ property— _ her property! _

Just when Asami thought the story couldn’t get more convoluted, it did.

“Well, looky what I found!” Lu pulled a bag of Yuans out of a gray duffel bag from Mako’s closet. “Cash...and these.”

Lu pulled out explosives, the same ones found during the attack on the Cultural Center.

_ What the  _ hell  _ is happening?  _

Asami stood by, shellshocked as Gang handcuffed Mako. She glanced at Lin, hoping that she would reign in her two subordinates who had clearly gone off the rails. Only, she didn’t. 

“Once a Triple Threat,  _ always _ a Triple Threat,” Gang scoffed.

_ Bigots!  _ Asami cursed silently. She knew Mako’s heart. He would never abandon the honest life he was living now. He would never try to ruin her company, her future, no matter the gain to him personally. 

“This has to be a mistake.” Even if the physical evidence pointed to the contrary.

“Sorry to break the news to you, sweetie, but your boyfriend's just a crooked cop. That sting operation was just a way to lure you away from your warehouse.” Lu laughed. Of all reactions, he  _ laughed  _ as if that was some form of consolation.

“Asami, I would never do anything to hurt you. It's Varrick. This is all Varrick. He set me up!” Mako cried out, desperation evident in his tone.

Asami watched powerlessly as the police escorted one of their own off the premises. 

This couldn’t be happening. Mako was going to jail because he tried to help her. He was going to jail because of _her._

Asami sunk to the floor, hugged her knees to her chest, and sighed. 

“How’re you going to dig yourself out of this one, Sato?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Other writers will write this differently, and no one interpretation is right. For me, I felt that since Asami and Korra were friends by this point, she couldn't have NOT known getting back with Mako would hurt Korra. So the natural extension of that is she needed a reason to either want to hurt Korra or not care about her feelings at the very least. 
> 
> Sorry if I made Asami seem a bit like a jerk. I love Asami, but I do think she is portrayed as a little too perfect in the series. She's betrayed over and over and forgives everyone so easily. Book 2 is really the only season where we see she has character flaws too, and I wanted to humanize her in a sense by exploring her flaws. What matters, though, is that she learns and owns up to her mistakes, which we will see her do in the next chapters. 
> 
> Anyways, I wanted to explain my thought process in writing this. Do let me know your thoughts! Did this alternate explanation of the love triangle work well? Was this explanation sufficient? I personally hate it when fanfic chapters are needlessly long, so I tried to keep it under 4K words (12 pg. double-spaced). 
> 
> Again, please have a safe and holly Christmas! Or whatever you celebrate :)


	6. Korra Returns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “About that…I was actually wondering if I could spend the night with you?” Korra’s sheepish request appeared to catch Asami off-guard. Feeling self-conscious, Korra elaborated, “Naga can’t fit inside the room, and I just don’t want to be alone right now.” 
> 
> Korra half-expected Asami to ask her why she wasn’t making this request to Mako instead. To Korra’s relief, Asami never asked. Rather, she simply clambered under the sheets, then gestured for Korra to lay beside her. Korra gladly complied, drawing the covers over both their chests as she switched off the bedside lamp.
> 
> Unlike the first time they slept together on Air Temple Island, there was no hesitation, no awkwardness between them. Back then, they had been highly attuned to each other’s boundaries. Now, boundaries was the last thing Korra wanted to have with Asami.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR! Let's hope this will be better than the last. With that, let's also welcome 2021 with a new chapter of this fanfic ;)
> 
> Maybe give Ch. 1 a re-read if you haven't in a while to get the callback at the end of the chapter, but def not necessary.

Bolin sauntered down the corridors of the  _ Zhu Li,  _ a royal purple cloak draped around his shoulders and a strawberry Varricake in his hand. With Pabu perched atop his head like a living fur hat, he supposed he did resemble a king. 

Many people would’ve found his behavior ridiculous given the existential battle ahead of them. However, a life of hardship, one in which he never knew if each day was his last, only made him value the fun moments even more. Everyone needed a little humor during dark times, right now, none more than Asami. 

Pabu dipped his head to look Bolin in the eyes and chirped. 

“I already told you. We need to cheer Asami up, otherwise she’s gonna be totally off her game tomorrow!” Bolin swatted the fire ferret out of his face. Pabu hopped off his owner’s head and returned to his usual position on Bolin’s shoulder, a tail wrapped around his neck.

In the months following Amon’s defeat, Bolin and Asami had grown close. After her father’s sentencing, Asami had essentially become an orphan and sought Bolin’s counsel on how to cope with her new reality. Through late night conversations, tears, and hugs, he had guided her through one of the darkest times in her life. In turn, she became the older sister he never had. In fact, Bolin knew Asami so well he could predict what was going through her mind right now, and that was what brought him to her room. 

Bolin knocked thrice, the metal clanging as he did.

“Come in!” He heard a muffled voice from the other side call.

When the earthbender entered the room, he found Asami in her sleeping gown, sitting on the edge of her bed and staring at her feet. Her hands were clasping the mattress, and her arms shivered slightly in response to the frigid climate they were entering. 

“Hey, how ya doing?” It pained Bolin to see her so troubled. Asami had a particularly unhealthy habit of bottling her feelings up to be strong for others, and it was often Bolin’s job to pry that bottle open. 

“I’m fine. Just nervous for Harmonic Convergence is all.” Upon seeing Bolin’s raised eyebrow, she quickly admitted defeat. “Alright, it’s not just that. I’m upset over Mako and Korra...again.” 

Bolin and Pabu exchanged knowing glances. The earthbender tilted his head towards Asami, and the fire ferret nodded in response to his silent request. Pabu leaped onto Asami’s bed and quickly clambered into her lap, eliciting a giggle from her.

“Okay, I know I judged you two earlier for getting back together, but you know you can tell me anything.” Bolin draped the purple cloak over her shoulders before taking a seat next to the nonbender. Asami gently grasped it and wrapped it around herself. 

“Honestly, I’m glad you did.” Asami grasped the bridge of her nose. “I’m such an idiot. A giant, fucking idiot!”

“Hey, don’t be too hard on yourself. It takes two to tango, after all.” Bolin rubbed her arm, simultaneously consoling her and goading her to continue.

“But this time, it’s actually my fault. I was the one that kissed Mako and suggested we get back together, knowing he had literally just broken up with Korra.”

“You what!” Bolin gawked at Asami’s confession. He had assumed that it had been his ever-indecisive brother that had reignited the messy love triangle.

“I know, I know. I guess I was at a low point. I’d just been robbed, and Mako was there for me, and...I was mad at Korra,” Asami trailed off.

It took every ounce of discipline for Bolin to contain his astonishment. He sat as still as a stone and pursed his lips tightly together to prevent another verbal slippage. As foreign as this felt, Bolin knew he had to maintain his composure in order for Asami to feel comfortable enough to speak her truth. What Asami needed now was not someone to judge her but listen to her.

Bolin listened intently as Asami explained the promise Korra had made a day before her disappearance. Asami explained how she had been so hopeful that signing a contract with the two companies would’ve saved Future Industries without necessitating a buyout from Varrick. She explained how infuriated she was at Korra for breaking her promise to meet her that day, how she had falsely interpreted Korra’s lack of communication as indifference and how she had blamed Korra for Future Industries’ financial ruin—regardless of how erroneous that assessment was. 

“Future Industries is all that’s left of my family. It’s my whole identity, so when Korra didn’t show up to help me save it, it felt personal.” Asami bit her lip. Silence shrouded the two friends as she struggled to piece her thoughts. “I guess I wanted to get back at her at that level too.”

Bolin knew the two girls had become warmer in the preceding months, but he didn’t realize the extent of their friendship. He could only come to one conclusion. _She must care about Korra a lot,_ Bolin thought. Many people might have interpreted Asami’s actions as cold-hearted or spiteful, but Bolin knew that for someone as virtuous as Asami to lash out, she must’ve been badly hurt. Primarily by the terrible cards life had dealt her lately, on top of which Korra’s disappearance pushed her over the edge. 

“I’m so ashamed of myself. Korra was attacked by a dark spirit! Instead of hiring a fleet of airships to look for her, I just assumed she just skipped town for the heck of it. What kind of friend does that? Then, to make things worse, I led Mako on. As spineless as he is, it’s not an excuse for me using him to hurt Korra.”

Asami’s voice quivered towards the end, and she began crying. Bolin pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and began dabbing the water off her face. When his fingers made contact, he could feel her shaking, and he suspected it wasn’t from the cold. 

“I can’t believe how petty, selfish, and vengeful I can be,” Asami whimpered, “I-I don’t want to be vengeful. I don’t want to be like my fath—”

“Okay, that’s where I draw the line.” Bolin gripped Asami’s shoulders and forced her to meet his gaze. His chest constricted painfully upon seeing the lost look in her eyes.  _ Dammit, Hiroshi, you did this to her, _ Bolin silently cursed. “Asami, you’re  _ nothing  _ like your father.”

Asami’s guilt hung over her like a dark cloud. Maybe it was because of her perfectionist upbringing, but it seemed that Asami was never able to forgive herself for making the most human of mistakes, even while she forgave others for far worse. 

“Look, it’s natural to be selfish and even want to get even with someone,  _ but  _ none of those things make you a bad person. What makes good people different from bad people is good people own up to their mistakes, and that’s exactly what you’re doing now.”

He stared at Asami intently, watching the gears turn in her mind. When she finally processed his words, he felt her shoulders slump, and she let out a long sigh. Bolin let his arms fall to his side as Pabu took over his role, scurrying up to Asami’s shoulders and licking her face.

Asami giggled when the fire ferret’s small, pink tongue met her cheek. As she scratched the furry companion underneath his chin, Asami finally replied, “Thanks, I needed to hear that.”

Bolin smiled, relieved to have gotten through to the teen.  _ Jeez, I swear you can be just as stubborn as Korra sometimes, _ Bolin mused. 

“So now that we’ve established I’m not a total degenerate, I guess the next thing to do is to come clean to Korra and Mako,” Asami said as she ruffled Pabu’s head. 

“If you ask me, Mako should be the one to break it to Korra they broke up.” Bolin smirked at the image of his brother trying to escape the Avatar’s wrath (again). 

“And you’re sure Korra won’t get mad at me?” Asami asked, nervously.

“Dude, Korra kissed Mako while you two were still dating and when she was  _ on a date _ with me!” Bolin exclaimed as he cringed at the memory. 

Asami looked at him in surprise then chuckled. “I didn’t know about that last part.”

Bolin felt his cheeks heat up in response to her teasing. “It’s embarrassing for me! Do you know how many pro-benders I bragged to I was going on a date with the Avatar?”

Asami wiggled an eyebrow at him and quipped, “Then maybe you shouldn’t brag in the first place.” 

Bolin pouted at this last comment. However, as much fun as they were having, Bolin was not totally divorced from reality. Uncharacteristically, he gave Asami a sobering reminder of what was to come. 

“In all seriousness, we might be facing 10,000 years of eternal darkness.” Bolin watched as Asami’s expression fell. He hated to ruin her mood, but the most important lesson he had learned from both his parents’ untimely end and his life on the streets was this. “If there’s something you have to say to either of them, say it now while you still have the chance.”

* * *

Korra paced outside Asami’s room. Her heart pounded as she struggled to formulate a plan of attack. It was ridiculous. She had 10,000 years of darkness to ward off, yet here she was, fretting over what she had done now to offend Asami.

_ Relax, already! It’s not like you have to fight Vaatu as long as you close the portals in time, _ Korra reminded herself. However, her thoughts then immediately went to the worst-case scenario.  _ But if you don’t...you definitely don’t want to end on bad terms with anyone.  _

Korra took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

“Come in,” a familiar voice called.

Gently, she cranked open the door and quietly slipped inside. There, Asami was sitting on the edge of her bed, wrapped in a purple coat. The narrow room was dim as the only source of light was the small lamp on her nightstand.

“Hey,” Asami greeted.

“Hey back.” Korra grimaced at the awkwardness of her reply. She hated these tense conversations, but by this point, she had learned that avoidance led nowhere. If she wanted to prevent another fallout with Asami, it was best to get straight into the subject.

Korra took a couple steps forward. Scratching her head, she struggled to find the right words. “So uh, I noticed earlier at the police station, you kinda stormed off. Please don’t tell me we also had a fight I can’t remember.”

Korra braced herself for a confrontation similar to the one they had had on Air Temple Island three months ago. However, Asami’s tirade never came. Instead, she glanced at Korra before averting her gaze to the floor.  _ Is she...sad?  _ Korra wondered.

After a deafening silence, Asami sighed. She forced herself to make eye contact, and Korra couldn’t help but worry at the confused expression she wore. “We didn’t have a fight, but I was mad at you.”

“Oh.” Korra rubbed the back of her neck, as if it would dissipate the panic that was setting in. Asami didn’t get mad at people without due reason, especially her friends. The Avatar was treading eggshells, not knowing what egregious action she had committed and what the proper response to it was. “So, uh, what did I do wrong?” 

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

_ What?  _ Korra watched Asami quizzically as she anxiously awaited her explanation.

“The day you were attacked, you were supposed to meet me at my office and help me secure contracts with two prospective companies, the last ones besides Varrick Industries remotely interested in doing business with me.” Asami drew the coat closer to her, as if she was trying to comfort herself, and Korra’s heart dropped at the sight. “It was sorta a last-ditch effort to save Future Industries, but you didn’t show up and the meetings floundered.”

_ Crap!  _ Korra cursed silently. It was all coming back now. She remembered their meeting with Varrick, the promise she had made to Asami outside of his yacht, President Raiko handicapping her efforts to enlist the United Forces in the war effort, and setting off for the Fire Nation on a speedboat in tears. Wait, why was she crying? 

“After my shipment was stolen,” Asami continued, cutting off Korra’s train of thought, “I didn’t have a choice but accept a buyout from Varrick.” Upon hearing this news, Korra’s jaw dropped as she began drawing the dots between her disappearance and Asami’s hostile reaction. “In my mind, I blamed you for putting me in that position. When you didn’t show up or return any of my calls, I thought you just didn’t care about me or my company.” 

Korra stared at Asami, flabbergasted at her sheer irresponsibility.  _ How could you have forgotten something as important as that?  _ Asami hid her emotions well, but by this point, Korra had learned to see through the veneer she put up for everyone else. She was hurt. 

_ You hurt her,  _ Korra admonished herself.

“Ever since my dad betrayed me, I’ve been scared of being abandoned, so when you didn’t show up...I’m so sorry I assumed the worst of you. You nearly died. I should’ve called search parties to find you, but instead I was being petty and selfish. Then, to make things worse, I got—”

Korra’s body moved on its own accord. The next second, Korra was on Asami’s bed and pulling the girl into a tight hug. The unexpected action startled Asami, but Korra soon felt the engineer embrace her back. Maybe it was because of her maturity, but Asami was always the first to take responsibility for a messy situation, even disproportionate to her own contribution. _ Why do you always have to be so hard on yourself?  _ Korra thought.

“You don’t have to feel bad about anything, Asami. I remember now. When I stormed off to the Fire Nation, there was no way I would’ve made it in time for the meetings. I should’ve let you know I was going to the Fire Nation, but I didn’t.”

Guilt hit Korra like a punch in the gut. Asami was risking her life to help Korra close the spirit portals, and Korra couldn’t keep a measly promise to show up to a meeting? However, her remorse couldn’t turn back time.  _ You weren’t there for her that day, but you can be here for her now, _ Korra vowed.

“You have every right to be mad at me,” Korra whispered. Korra felt Asami’s grip on her tighten. The Avatar began to rub small circles into her back, hoping it would soothe her nerves. “I’m sorry I made you feel like you were being abandoned. I really am.” Asami dug her face deeper into the crook of Korra’s neck, causing Korra to blush at the sensation of her warm lips pressed against her skin.

After a few moments, Asami pulled back and met Korra’s gaze. Korra’s stomach fluttered when her eyes locked onto Asami’s emerald ones.  _ Am I coming down with something? _ Korra wondered. “Thanks,” Asami said as she flashed her an empathetic smile, “I appreciate that. A lot.”

Relief washed over Korra, but she still needed confirmation. “So you forgive me?” The Avatar asked, trying to read Asami’s expression for any hints of residual resentment.

“Well, it’s a lot easier now that I have Varrick to blame,” Asami replied with a wink.

Both girls burst in laughter. Nudging her in the arm, Korra quipped back, “Good thing he’s behind bars where you can’t get him. I doubt he’d last a second in the ring with you.” 

“Yeah, but I get the feeling that Zhu Li might rip my head off if I lay a finger on him.” Asami rolled her eyes at the thought. Korra couldn’t help but find the image of Asami struggling to fend off the petite but surprisingly mighty Zhu Li utterly amusing.

After their mutual laughter subsided, the atmosphere grew tense. This seemed to be a recurring theme of tonight, as it well should. After a few moments, Asami finally broke the silence. 

“How are you feeling about tomorrow?” She cautiously asked.

It was the question Korra had been attempting to avoid all night. “Honestly, I’m terrified...” Korra trailed off. She wondered if this is how Aang felt before his battle with Firelord Ozai. They were both frankly “half-baked” Avatars, underdogs in a battle over the fate of the world. Unlike Aang, however, Korra was no hero. All she was doing was cleaning up a mess she had made, saving the day from an existential calamity she had created. 

_ You thought you were too good for Tenzin’s training. Let’s see if you’re good enough to defeat Vaatu.  _ At this thought, Korra laughed darkly. She had jeopardized her team, no, the whole world all because she was too stubborn, too arrogant, and too belligerent to listen to her mentors, to listen to reason. 

Korra became so engrossed in her spiraling thoughts it took Asami tapping her arm to break her out of her trance. “Korra, are you okay?” 

“Argh! I just wish I hadn’t listened to Unalaq in the first place. I can’t believe my own uncle could be capable of something so evil!” The last sentence elicited a noticeable reaction from Asami. Only then did Korra realize it may have triggered memories of her father, and she facepalmed herself as punishment. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to remind you of your dad.”

“No, it’s okay. In a strange way, I feel like it brings us closer,” Asami reassured her. 

Korra hummed in response. It dawned on her how physically close they were. They were sitting cross-legged, their knees grazing each other. Their faces were a mere foot apart, allowing Korra to examine the older girl’s features in detail despite the low light. There was something nerve-wracking yet thrilling about this all, and Korra prayed that the universe would allow her the chance to explore this unknown territory.

“Korra, I know it seems the world's fate is in your hands, and in a way it is, but you’re not alone,” Asami stated matter-of-factly, looking at Korra with an intensity that frightened the Avatar, “I promise we’re not gonna let Unalaq win.”

However, Korra was not so confident. All night long, she had played one question on loop in her mind:  _ If I even couldn’t beat Amon without getting my bending taken away, how am I going to defeat Vaatu?  _ Yet for some reason she chose to ask Asami a different question. “How can you be so sure?” 

Asami’s expression briefly fell at the young Avatar’s self-doubt. She placed her hands on Korra’s shoulders. The warmth from her palms radiated throughout Korra’s entire body. 

“Necessity is the mother of invention. Call me a nerd, but I’ve always believed in that.” Then, Asami trailed her hands down Korra’s arms until they reached her palms, sending a shiver down her spine. “We’re all gonna step up to the plate tomorrow. I know you won’t fail because you’re a fighter. It doesn’t matter how many times someone knocks you down, as long as lives depend on you, you’ll figure out a way to get back up and win. I know you will.” 

The fervor in which Asami spoke touched her. As the almighty being the world depended on during crises, Korra was expected to always project strength. She was never one to show her vulnerabilities, but Asami was one of the few people who she could lower her guard around. Asami’s unwavering faith in her cut straight through her hard exterior and into her heart. 

Asami squeezed Korra’s hands, and it was not lost to either how well her soft, slender fingers fit into Korra’s strong, calloused ones. “It’s getting late. We should go to bed. We’ll need all our strength tomorrow.”

Which reminded Korra of the second question she had intended to ask Asami tonight.

“About that…I was actually wondering if I could spend the night with you?” Korra’s sheepish request appeared to catch Asami off-guard. Feeling self-conscious, Korra elaborated, “Naga can’t fit inside the room, and I just don’t want to be alone right now.” 

Korra half-expected Asami to ask her why she wasn’t making this request to Mako instead. Truthfully, asking Mako to comfort her would’ve been calling a police officer to a crime scene that didn’t exist. Mako’s presence was that of a dutiful officer, ready to take names and seek justice for those who had sought his help. Asami’s presence, however, was like a warm blanket that enveloped her, soothing her nerves and making her feel safe.

To Korra’s relief, Asami never asked. Rather, she simply clambered under the sheets, then gestured for Korra to lay beside her. Korra gladly complied, drawing the covers over both their chests as she switched off the bedside lamp.

Unlike the first time they slept together on Air Temple Island, there was no hesitation, no awkwardness between them. Back then, they had been highly attuned to each other’s boundaries. Now, boundaries was the last thing Korra wanted to have with Asami. 

The two lay with their backs facing each other. The older teen’s body heat was like a radiator, relaxing the muscles in her body. A faint scent of lavender, presumably from Asami’s hair, wafted in Korra’s nose, lulling her to sleep. 

However, Korra resisted the temptation just long enough to get out her last thoughts. “Asami...” She heard the sheets ruffle in response.

“Yeah, what’s up?” Even though she spoke through a yawn, her voice still sounded like sweet music to Korra’s ears. 

“Thanks,” Korra whispered, trying to convey her gratitude, “for everything.”

“Mm.” Asami mumbled before falling silent. 

Korra glanced over her shoulder. Squinting through the darkness, Korra could faintly make out Asami’s covered figure, rising and falling with each breath she took. There was something inexplicably calming about the scene. Korra didn’t understand how her friend could have this physical effect on her. Nevertheless, with Asami beside her, Korra finally felt secure enough to allow herself to let go and drift off into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please let me know your thoughts! It's been a while since I've written in Korra's POV, so I hope I'm not too rusty! I also wanted to dabble in Bolin's POV since he's such a sweetie ❤️️ S2 shows more interaction between him and Asami, and I always liked the concept of Bolin helping Asami cope with the loss of her parents (esp. after S4). In the next chapter, our beautiful Asami will finally realize her feelings for Korra.
> 
> I actually don't have as much of a plan of attack for S3, altho I'm probs gonna involve a lot more flirting and sexual tension as Korra comes to the same conclusion XD 
> 
> Warning: school's starting up again for me soon, so I can't guarantee quick updates like these past 3 😥 But I'll certainly try!


End file.
